Kawarau Jet and two of its drivers have been charged with several offences brought by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) after allegedly operating unsafely on December 18 last year.
Both men appeared at Queenstown District Court yesterday, where they were remanded without plea until November 1 and Judge Dominic Flatley ordered that a plea must be entered then by both drivers and the company.
MNZ lawyer Heather McKenzie noted in court that MNZ opposed the initial adjournment of the case on July 1 saying its disclosure was full.
"This is not a proper basis for matters to be adjourned.
"The continuous applications for adjournment won't do the defendants any favours," she said.
Kawarau Jet's counsel Katie Baxter defended the hold-ups on the grounds that a "key issue is that the majority of witnesses are overseas".
She said finding and tracking the witnesses would be difficult but was likely to have a "real influence on the case."
The Queenstown company faces five charges under the Health and Safety Act and the Maritime Transport Act, including two counts of breaching the Health and Safety Act, two counts of dangerous activity involving vessels and one count of failing to notify an accident or incident.
Driver Jamie Stuart Beer (27) is charged with failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction while at work caused harm to another person, one count of failing to notify an accident or incident and one count of operating a vessel in a manner that caused unnecessary danger or risk.
Driver George Matthew Wallis (28) is charged with one count of operating a vessel in a dangerous manner and one of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction while at work caused harm to another person.
Queenstown Lakes District Council harbourmaster Marty Black said he was unable to comment on the case when contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
MNZ would not comment on details of the alleged incident when contacted yesterday and Kawarau Jet director Andrew Brinsley could not be contacted.
In July, the Mountain Scene newspaper reported the charges related to an incident where two jet boats were operated in windy conditions of up to 60 knots.
