Maritime New Zealand is investigating a crash between two Dart River Safari jet boats on the Dart River near Glenorchy on Friday afternoon.

No major injuries were reported from the crash but two people were taken to hospital as a precaution.
Dart River Safaris is owned by Ngai Tahu.

Ngai Tahu southern regional general manager David Kennedy said both jet boat drivers had been stood down while investigations were carried out.

The company was doing an internal investigation that would run parallel to Maritime New Zealand, following the collision at 1.15pm Friday, he said.

The incident happened about 2 kilometres upstream from the Dart River mouth, he said.

''All health and safety [incidents] are taken extremely seriously. We are undertaking our own internal investigations to determine for ourselves what the facts are.''

Queenstown Lakes District harbourmaster Marty Black confirmed two people in a 13-passenger boat had been taken to Lakes District Hospital as a precaution. The driver of the second boat did not have passengers, he said.

Maritime New Zealand spokesman Steve Rendle said two investigators were on site in Glenorchy yesterday but results of the investigation would not be known for several weeks.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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