Deep Sea II Vessel Loss Details

DEEP SEA II VESSEL LOSS - INVESTIGATION NOTES

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Date: 29 December 2025

Source: NZ Herald / Hawke's Bay Today, 27 Nov 2007

KEY FINDINGS:

• VESSEL DETAILS:

- Name: Deep Sea II

- Type: 70ft steel-hulled fishing boat

- Home port: Napier

- Lost: November 26, 1987 at approximately 11:30pm

- Last communication: Radio contact ended suddenly

• CREW LOST:

- Svein Kristensen (skipper/owner?)

- Bede Parker (crew)

- Stu Hamilton (crew)

- Total: 3 men lost

• KRISTENSEN FAMILY:

- Svein Kristensen had two sons:

* Julian Kristensen (born ~1970, would be 37 in 2007)

* Espen Kristensen (born ~1984, would be 23 in 2007)

- Both sons share birthday on November 26 - same day father disappeared

- In 2007, Julian was in NZ, Espen was overseas

• CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS:

a) NAME VARIATION: "Kristensen" vs "Jenssen"

- Both are Norwegian/Scandinavian names

- Could be related families or business partners

- Need to verify if "Jenssen" and "Kristensen" were partners in Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd

b) TIMING: November 1987

- QMS introduced October 1986

- Orange roughy quota allocated 1986

- Vessel lost just ONE YEAR after quota allocation

- This timing is extremely significant

c) CIRCUMSTANCES:

- "Sudden end" of radio communication suggests catastrophic event

- 70ft steel-hulled vessel - not easily sunk

- No bodies or wreckage found (implied)

- Article from 2007 - 20 years later, still remembering

• QUESTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

- Was Svein Kristensen connected to the Jenssen family?

- Who owned Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd - Kristensen, Jenssen, or both?

- What happened to the orange roughy quota after vessel loss?

- Was there a maritime investigation? What were findings?

- Any insurance claims on the vessel?

- Who benefited from the vessel loss?

• POTENTIAL PATTERN:

- If vessel was deliberately lost (sabotage/scuttling)

- Crew deaths would prevent testimony

- Quota would need to be sold/transferred

- Insurance payout would go to... whom?

- This fits the "industrial homicide" theory in the documents

NEXT STEPS:

• Search for Maritime NZ / Transport Accident Investigation Commission reports
• Find Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd company records
• Search for Kristensen-Jenssen family/business connections
• Find any court cases or insurance claims related to vessel loss