An alcohol-fuelled fight on a Real Journeys ferry, in which a staff member was punched and the vessel's skipper forced to intervene, is being investigated by police.
The incident happened on board a ferry travelling from Stewart Island to Bluff about 5pm on Sunday, police said.
Senior Sergeant James Ure, of Dunedin, said some intoxicated passengers were involved in "a reasonable incident'' but exact details of it were not clear.
It is understood a crew member confronted one of the drunk passengers after they spilled coffee and was subsequently involved in an altercation and punched.
The incident was reported to a Real Journeys office and passed on to Bluff police, Snr Sgt Ure said.
Officers had planned to meet the boat to speak to the passengers involved when it docked, but they had already disembarked when police arrived.
"They [police] must have been a wee bit late.''
A Real Journeys spokesman said the company would be making no comment about whether an incident had occurred or what it might have involved.
Statements to media were made only by the company's corporate communications manager or chief executive, the spokesman said.
Neither could be reached for comment yesterday.
A Bluff resident, who later spoke to some Australian tourists who were on the ferry, said the passengers had earlier been ejected from the main lounge for being too drunk.
They were told to stay on the stern deck area and were not served any alcohol, the man, who did not want to be named, said.
One of the passengers later spilled coffee and was confronted by the crew member, he said.
"At that point, things got out of hand.
"There was pushing and shoving and [the crew member] was punched.''
The crew member broke free and informed the skipper, who stopped the boat while he dealt with the situation, the man said.
