Body of teenager found in ‘absolute tragedy’ in Lake Waikato

The body of the teenager who drowned in a lake in Waikato has been recovered.

The 18-year-old was swimming in Lake Arapuni at around 8:25 p.m. Tuesday when he struggled.

A police spokesman said a search began that night, however the man was not located.

“The National Police Diving Brigade conducted a search on Wednesday and the body was recovered this afternoon,” said a statement.

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A couple of other men had tried to keep the teenager afloat, but were unsuccessful.

Sergeant Major Murray Hamilton said the man had disappeared underwater and is believed to have drowned. Death will be referred to the forensic doctor.

The drowning comes a day after a 4-year-old girl died at Rotokawau Lake in Rotorua.

Emergency services also responded to another drowning in Lake Puketi, North Waikato, around 11 a.m. Wednesday. The death of that person has been referred to the coroner.

‘ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY’

While the spot at Jones River Landing, where the 18-year-old had been swimming in Lake Arapuni, was not known to be dangerous, Hamilton said any water could be dangerous.

“The biggest stream is on the other side, so this side is not so bad, but fresh water is not as buoyant as ocean water. [and] some people don’t realize their limits. ”

Hamilton described it as an “absolute tragedy”.

The teenager, from Taranaki, had been at the lake with his family during the afternoon when he disappeared.

A blessing was held at 10:30 am Wednesday and the Jones Landing Reservation was closed.

Jones Landing Reserve would not reopen until Saturday at 9 a.m., said a message on a South Waikato Council social media page.

“The closure is due to a rāhui being placed in reserve,” the publication said.

“Raukawa kaumatua is working with the police at the scene.”

Meanwhile, in Coromandel, emergency services attended to another water incident, in Opito Bay, around 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The person was in moderate condition and was transferred to Thames Hospital.

The last two drownings occurred after the official holiday drowning period ended at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

At that stage, preliminary figures from Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) indicated that the number of preventable drowning deaths during the official holiday period was three.

“While this is well below the average for the past five-year vacation period of just under eight, every preventable death is devastating to a family and a community,” said WSNZ spokesperson Sheridan Bruce.

“It has been a very busy holiday period for our frontline rescue services, Surf Life Saving and Coastguard, indicating that the death toll could have been much worse.”

Of the three preventable deaths, one was a free diver, another in a motorized boat less than 4 meters and one was a swimming fatality.

“While our waterways are our playground, they can be incredibly unforgiving and everyone must take some personal responsibility for their safety and the safety of dependents.”

With the summer going to continue for a few more months, Bruce appealed to people to make wise decisions about water.

“We know that Kiwis will continue to enjoy our beautiful waterways as the warm weather continues. We need everyone to take responsibility and think about water safety. “