Harbour authorities in New Zealand are investigating the circumstances that resulted in a remote-controlled shunting locomotive plunging off a linkspan at Picton harbour, dragging a wagon and two tankers with it.
It is now steadily leaking diesel into North Island’s environmentally sensitive area of Queen Charlotte Sound.
The KiwiRail incident comes at a time when mounting driverless accidents are casting a pall over discussions around fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies.
KiwiRail has been using remote tech for shunting locomotives for some ten years, but shunting is usually done by controllers equipped with belly packs, and who have a clear view of operations.
It has however emerged that in this instance, the locomotive was not under operator control when the incident happened.
The locomotive, used for New Zealand’s inter-island ferry service, was pushing the wagon and tankers across the land-to-ship ramp when it plunged off the linkspan.
Efforts are currently under way to stop the diesel spill by floating the 50-tonne locomotive with the use of specialist airbags.