A fatal yacht accident that killed two crew members has prompted safety changes for boats in New Zealand waters.
Maritime New Zealand and Yachting NZ are working to change regulations used for safety inspections of all recreational vessels leaving for international waters.
The changes follow the release of a report into the yacht Platino accident when bad conditions and an autopilot malfunction led to the yacht being significantly damaged and out of control on 13 June in 2016.
The swinging boom fatally injured one crew member and another fell overboard, leaving three crew members unable to help as their yacht travelled through gale force winds on route to Fiji.
The surviving crew members were rescued the next day by a container ship.
The investigation found several factors had caused the accident, including the crew's lack of emergency experience together and their insufficient knowledge of the equipment.
Maritime NZ director Keith Manch said the organisation required all boats to be certified by qualified inspectors before leaving New Zealand.
"While the changes relate to a range of equipment and procedures, at their heart is the preparedness and training of the skipper and crew," Mr Manch said.
"The skipper and crew must be familiar with the equipment on board, know how to use it correctly, and know how to respond in an emergency."
Areas considered by the recommendations include autopilot failure, person overboard, emergency communication, command and control, and safety certification.
The report has been sent to the Coroner to help inform an inquest.