Aratere ruled unfit for people.

(From The Dominion Post)

Byline: RUSCOE Kim

THE problem-plagued Interislander ferry Aratere has been released from detainment but is not allowed to carry passengers till further notice.

Maritime Safety Authority director Russell Kilvington has refused to lift the detainment order, saying yesterday that the ship had arrived from Spain six years ago in a shocking state and problems had continued.

"We are now in a crisis of confidence," he said. "We can't just let it go back into service . . . If we say carry on and there is a problem next week we will have got it wrong."

The order was put on the Toll-owned ship on Wednesday night …