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Drunken Tuna Skipper Loses Way To Port ff

11 April 2003 New Zealand

"What shall we do with the drunken sailor?" Police were called to help New Zealand Nelson harbor authorities yesterday after a tuna boat skipper allegedly became so drunk he could not navigate his vessel into port.

Senior Sergeant Stu Koefoed said the Maritime Safety Authority would be investigating the incident after the vessel's other crew member rang authorities about 1pm to ask for help.

He said the vessel was about six nautical miles from Nelson and the crewmember did not know how to pilot the vessel. Two police officers accompanied the harbour authorities as they helped navigate the vessel safely into port. "This situation could have been very dangerous for obvious reasons,"  Koefoed said. "Imagine if there had been a big swell out there."

The 31-year-old tuna skipper man was placed in the police cells for detoxification. He was charged with assault after he allegedly assaulted a man in the port earlier this week.