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A teenager died trying to save the life of a 12-year-old girl swimming in the Waikato River near Taupō.
The Taihape man, Logan Ken Hughes, 18, could not be revived after he ran into difficulties during a rescue attempt on Friday, December 18.
Senior Sheriff Barry Shepherd said another person jumped out and helped the girl to safety while other rescuers worked hard to retrieve Hughes from about twenty feet of water.
He performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 40 minutes and the medical staff did their best to save him, but he died in hospital.
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“This is terrible news for the family of the young man who died,” Shepherd said.
“The rescue attempt was an instinctive display of humanity.
“We send our condolences to his relatives.”
Bay of Plenty police issued a safety warning after the tragedy, one of two incidents on the Waikato River in Taupō.
Two days earlier, a group of teenagers were swimming downstream from the Taupō Control Gates Bridge.
The group broke up and, due to confusion and lack of communication, one of them was thought to have gotten into trouble.
That prompted a full-scale search with a helicopter.
“Fortunately, it was discovered that the person believed to be in trouble had already returned home.
“While unrelated, these two events underscore the risk that this fast-flowing river presents to the public and rescue teams that are called in to help.”
He said these incidents also have a profound impact on bystanders in the area, as well as the first responders who attend.
“We don’t want to prevent anyone from having fun, but we want people to pause and consider: If you’re getting into the water, are you sure you’re going out?
“The last thing we want is for anyone to be in danger or, in the worst case, not survive.
“It is a beautiful river and a perfect place to cool off this summer. But please pay attention to the dangers and the signs posted by the river. “
In addition to concerns about water safety this summer, the Mercury Dam operator has had to cancel spills in the Aratiatia rapids north of Lake Taupō due to swimmers getting too close to the rapids.
Robert Steven / Stuff
Mercury’s Aratiatia hydroelectric power plant handles controlled spills in the rapids area at 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm, as well as at 4 pm in summer.
On Monday, a 4WD with several people parked and the group deliberately avoided signage and barriers to enter the area, said Mercury Hydro General Manager Phil Gibson.
He said they were thankfully spotted before the 10 a.m. spill started. The 12 noon spill was also stopped while an investigation was being completed.
The 10 am and 12 pm spills were canceled Tuesday under similar circumstances.
Gibson said it is frustrating, with lives at risk and also undue pressure from staff at Mercury’s Aratiatia hydroelectric plant handling the spill.
“When people ignore the signage and head for the rapids area, regardless of the time of day, they put themselves in danger but they also impact the lives of others. It’s time for that to stop, or Mercury will have to reconsider whether the spills can continue safely, ”Gibson said.
Auckland University student Rachael Louise De Jong, 21, was killed in 2017 when a group of swimmers was captured in the area when the spill occurred.
Mercury, as part of its consents for the operation of the Aratiatia hydroelectric plant, manages controlled spills in the rapids area at 10, 12 and 14 hours, as well as at 16 hours in summer.
However, you can release water through the rapids at any time necessary for station operation and flow management.
For this reason, it is dangerous to be in the area of the rapids at any time as levels can rise suddenly and dramatically.
“We are asking for community help with this. If people find out that other people are planning such an activity, or if they witness people in areas beyond safe viewing zones, they should report that behavior and help stop it.
“Those who ignore the warnings risk not only their lives, but also ruin the enjoyment of the show for others, as we could be forced to stop these spills for longer periods or even indefinitely.
“Safety has to be and is paramount. It is unacceptable that our station employees are in the position of having to make calls about the release of water or not, sometimes just minutes in advance, while people are playing and even trying to avoid being seen. “
