A victim who died in yesterday’s Kaikoura boating tragedy has been remembered by his grieving daughter as an avid photographer and “amazing dad”.

Christchurch man Peter Charles Hockley was today identified as one of five people with 11 people on board when a charter boat collided with something and capsized near Goose Bay.

His daughter told Stuff her “terrific” father is believed to have been in the cabin with the four other victims when the accident happened. The family learned of his death late yesterday afternoon.

“We don’t even know who else died or who survived. We only know that the father was one of the people in the cabin,” his daughter told Stuff.

The daughter said her father was a talented photographer and he loved spending time at Otematata bach in Otago, where he would take a lot of pictures.

“It’s his life.”

A Goose Bay local said he spotted a whale “two or three hundred yards” from the accident scene yesterday.

Kevin Anderson said while the rescue was still going on, he saw a whale heading north and submerged within two or three hundred yards of the boat.

The retiree said there was nothing else near the boat and the sea was very calm.

Anderson said he had lived in the area for 20 years and had never seen anything like it.

“We were watching TV and I pulled the blinds down because of the glare, and when we were done watching, we pulled the blinds up and the boat was upside down right here. There were five or six people holding on to the most important thing. .”

Anderson said he then saw a white boat heading towards the upturned boat and all but one were taken away.

The coast guard then arrived, and the rest of the boat gestured to them with their hands, and there were four or five people under the boat.

“We can clearly see from here that we are clearly seeing the telescope.”

He said he spotted the whale shortly after the coast guard arrived.

“We’re just in shock, we’re just sitting here and just looking at the whole thing. There’s nothing we can do, we have all the emergency services out there.”

Anderson said they only see whales “once or twice” a year near their homes, and they don’t usually get close to boats.

“A terrible, terrible, terrible tragedy, suddenly there, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Police have not confirmed it was the whale that caused the boat to overturn, saying the boat collided with “something”, but they are talking to some people to find out what happened.

However, Kaikoura Mayor Craig Michael said yesterday he believed the boat hit the whale.

“We grieve with you and we are sorry”

Fish Kaikōura Charters owner Sharlene Ealam, who is married to the captain, told 1News the incident “was an unprecedented tragedy”.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the deceased,” she said.

“I just want to say a big thank you to the first responders and all the support and love we’ve received.

“We grieve with you and we are sorry,” Ilam said.

Ilam said she could not comment on what caused the ship to capsize, but confirmed the company would fully cooperate with the investigation.

Members of the Photographic Society on board earlier today spoke of their “tragic loss”.

“The New Zealand Nature Photography Society is saddened by the tragic loss of its members at sea in Kaikōura during a trip that took the lives of five of our members,” the group said on its Facebook page this morning.

“We do not yet know what caused the vessel to capsize and Maritime New Zealand will address this in due course.

“In the meantime, our hearts go out to the families of those members of society who lost their lives.”

NZ Nature Photography Society Honorary Committee chairman Dr Murray Cave said yesterday’s charter was the first sea trip for members since Covid-19.

“We go there a few times a year, but not in recent years because of the coronavirus.”

He suspects the trip from Kaikoura is the only sea trip the association has made.

A nature photographer, Gary Speer, said he took a bird watching trip off the coast of Kaikoura a few years ago as part of a New Zealand photography conference on a catamaran used by Whale Watch Kaikōura.

It was a fantastic trip with hundreds of birds, he recalls.

“You don’t know where to point the camera.”

Speer said the boat that went out to sea yesterday would have been moving slowly, with fish being thrown behind to attract birds.

“If they hit a slow-moving log, it would cause a little slip, but not tip over the boat. A whale would come up,” he said.

An 8.5m boat capsized in “perfect, flat” conditions shortly after 10am on Saturday with 11 people on board.

Six people were reported alive, including one with minor injuries.

Police told media at a news conference shortly after 5pm yesterday that they were taken to hospital before returning to their residence.

Sgt. Matt Boyce said police diving teams recovered the bodies of five people found dead on the boat.

“We are in the process of identifying these individuals and our next job is to notify their next of kin.”

He said it was an “unprecedented event” involving a significant response from emergency services and the public.

“This is a tragic incident and police are supporting those involved at this very difficult time,” Boyce said.

The passengers are believed to be members of a group of bird lovers who have chartered boats to visit areas of interest.

“I believe they come from all over the country,” Boyce said.

Appeal for witnesses

Meanwhile, the Traffic Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is appealing for witnesses who saw the crash.

Principal Investigator Naveen Kozhuppakalam would like to hear from anyone who saw or recorded what happened before, during or after the incident.The best way is to email TAIC at info@taic.org.nz

“The Commission’s investigation will be conducted in parallel with the investigations of other agencies. Two investigators have been assigned to obtain evidence, speak to witnesses, examine any available electronic evidence and review the circumstances of the incident.”

A local Kaikoura resident who was assisting at the scene said they knew a victim – with links to their son’s school.

She went to the shore to help find it.

“It’s not much, but it’s more than what I’ve added at home.

She said it was difficult to see clearly from the coast due to the large number of seals scattered over the rocks.

“It’s going to be a scary time for these families, and it’s going to be felt in our tight-knit community tonight and for years to come,” she said.

“We didn’t even lose five people in the 2016 earthquake.”

Police could not say who was operating the charter flight. The captain was taken to hospital, but police believe he was uninjured.

The pilot of the first rescue helicopter at the scene said he did not see anyone in the water when he arrived.

Kaikoura pilot Daniel Stevenson said: “It’s a scary thing – it’s something you don’t want to see people in the water.”

Just before he arrived, a yacht rushed to the scene, picked up the first people outside and brought them back to Kaikoura.

According to Stevenson, five people were rescued, with one remaining sitting on the hull upturn.

The Coast Guard arrived shortly after. They jumped into the water but were unable to disembark and called for divers.

Stevenson flew back to Kaikoura, picked up a diver and circled next to the capsized boat.

“They jumped into the water from the helicopter to see if anyone was trapped inside the boat,” Stevenson said.

The mayor said it was a tragic event that affected many lives, especially all family members and loved ones.

“We extend our heartfelt sadness and condolences to all of you.”

Michael said he would like to thank everyone involved in the rescue and recovery.

“In this dire situation, being able to bring everyone home is the best outcome.”

The whales are resident and have been seen in the area, Mackle said.

He said the sea conditions at the time were “perfect and flat”.

When asked if the boat was overloaded, Michael said he couldn’t answer.

The Coast Guard responded by calling it a “tragic operation.”

“Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of the deceased,” the Coast Guard said.

Richard Hill of Cods and Crays Fish and Chips told RNZ he had previously worked with the captain on the ship.

“He’s a very safe guy, he couldn’t possibly take any risks.

”So there must be something, kind of like a freak of nature, I would think. It’s a very sad day for Kaikōura, really just a shock,” Hill said.

Hill paid tribute today at Goose Bay.

He told the Herald that people in Kaikoura felt “very numb” because they had been through “so much”.

“It’s another thing for Kaikōura, we really don’t need it, it’s horribly poor families.”

Maritime New Zealand chief investigator Tracy Phillips said the group had sent two investigators from Christchurch to Kaikoura.

“Any investigative activity will not begin until the rescue/recovery operation is complete. We will conduct a thorough investigation under the Work Health and Safety Act and the Maritime Transport Act and we will do everything we can to support the New Zealand Police investigation.”

Kaikoura councillor Lisa Bond said the incident was “incredibly heartbreaking”.

The South Bay slipway was closed to the public when police responded.

A reporter on the shore of Goose Bay said at 1:45 p.m. he could see three boats, two of which appeared to be Coast Guard vessels, and four helicopters near the capsized boat.

Three rescue helicopters were dispatched to the scene, one from Wellington and two Westpac from Christchurch.

An image on social media showed many people waiting to be rescued on the overturned boat.