No one on board an ill-fated fishing boat held a valid Maritime New Zealand captain's certificate when the it sank near Stewart Island in 2012, killing eight people, a court has been told.
Gloria Davis, wife of Easy Rider skipper William Karetai, is facing three charges under the Maritime and Health and Safety in Employment Acts.
The vessel was on a mutton birding trip in March 2012 when it went down. Only one person survived.
At the Invercargil District Court on Monday prosecutor Brent Stanaway said Ms Davis is listed as the person responsible for the safety and logistical requirements in the documents of the company she owned with her husband. AZ1 Enterprises owned the Easy Rider.
It is claimed Ms Davis failed to ensure safety systems were in place, that the vessel had been checked by maritime inspectors and that the skipper held a valid Inshore Launch Masters Certificate.
Ms Davis, who is representing herself at the judicial trial, is expected to say that her husband, who died in the sinking, ran the day-to-day operations of the company.
However, the prosecution says Ms Davis is responsible.
