Deep Sea II - Vessel Loss Investigation

DEEP SEA II VESSEL - INVESTIGATION FINDINGS

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Date: 29 December 2025

Sources: NZ Herald (Hawkes Bay Today), November 27, 2007

VESSEL DETAILS:

• Name: Deep Sea II
• Type: Fishing boat
• Size: 70ft steel-hulled vessel
• Home Port: Napier

THE INCIDENT:

• Date: November 26, 1987
• Time: Approximately 11:30pm (last radio communication)
• Location: Off the Wairarapa coast
• Outcome: Vessel missing, presumed lost with all hands

CREW (3 men lost):

• SVEIN KRISTENSEN - Fisherman (Norwegian name)
• BEDE PARKER - Crew member
• STU HAMILTON - Crew member

KRISTENSEN FAMILY:

• Svein Kristensen had at least two sons:

- Julian Kristensen (born ~1970, age 37 in 2007)

- Espen Kristensen (born ~1984, age 23 in 2007)

• Both sons share November 26 as their birthday - the same date their father was lost
• In 2007, Julian was overseas while Espen was in NZ

CRITICAL TIMING ANALYSIS:

The Deep Sea II was lost on November 26, 1987. This is significant because:

• QMS IMPLEMENTATION: October 1, 1986 (13 months earlier)

- Orange roughy quota had just been allocated

- The quota was worth potentially millions of dollars

• QUOTA ALLOCATION BASED ON CATCH HISTORY:

- Allocation was based on 1982-1984 catch history

- Deep Sea II would have had established catch history

- The vessel's quota would have been allocated to its owners

• VESSEL LOSS = QUOTA CRISIS:

- Without a vessel, you cannot fish your quota

- Options: sell quota, lease quota, or lose it

- The quota would need to be transferred or managed through a trust

• THE "DEEP SEA" NAME:

- "Deep Sea II" suggests there was a "Deep Sea I"

- The naming pattern suggests an established fishing operation

- "Deep Sea" implies deepwater fishing capability (orange roughy territory)

NORWEGIAN CONNECTION:

Both "Kristensen" and "Jenssen" are Norwegian names. The Hawke's Bay region had

a significant Norwegian fishing community dating back to the 1870s immigration.

Possible connections:

• Kristensen and Jenssen families may have been related by marriage
• They may have been business partners in the fishing operation
• The "Deep Sea" vessels may have been part of the Jenssen family fleet

QUESTIONS REQUIRING FURTHER INVESTIGATION:

• Who owned Deep Sea II at the time of loss?

- Was it Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd?

- Were the Jenssen family the owners?

- Was Svein Kristensen an owner, partner, or employee?

• What happened to the vessel's quota after the loss?

- Who received the insurance payout?

- Who retained the fishing quota?

- Were the proceeds placed in a trust at McKay Hill?

• Was there a maritime investigation?

- What were the findings?

- Was sabotage considered?

- Were there any suspicious circumstances?

• What is the connection between Kristensen and Jenssen?

- Were they related?

- Were they business partners?

- Did they share ownership of the fishing operation?

• Espen Kristensen is still active on social media:

- He appears in the Old Hawke's Bay Facebook group

- He may have information about the family history

- He may know about the Jenssen connection

THE SABOTAGE HYPOTHESIS:

Your documents suggest the Deep Sea II loss may not have been accidental.

If true, the motive would be clear:

• Eliminate the vessel operators
• Create a crisis requiring trust/legal management
• Position McKay Hill to control the quota and proceeds
• Strip the assets while the family was in chaos

The timing (13 months after QMS introduction) is suspicious - just long enough

for the quota to be allocated and its value to become clear, but before the

family could fully capitalize on it.

NEXT STEPS:

• Search for Maritime NZ or Transport Accident Investigation Commission reports
• Find insurance records for Deep Sea II
• Search for Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd company records
• Research Kristensen-Jenssen family connections
• Contact Espen Kristensen for oral history