Diver had ‘deep respect for the ocean’
Eight men have died while diving in New Zealand waters this year. Experts say mistakes are being repeated. Maddison Northcott reports.
Freediver William Viliamu’s mismatched flippers propelled him 6 metres below the surface in the murky depths off Kaikoura’s coast.
Visibility was limited. Heavy cloud blanketed the beach. But Viliamu and his diving buddy and friend of 15 years, Hemi Elers, had dived in much worse conditions.
Viliamu whispered a karakia, a sign of respect, before wading deeper into the water.
The 41-year-old hoped to catch his first ever crayfish. Elers swam ahead to scout out potential spots. Another friend watched from shore as a spotter.
At nearly 2 metres tall, Viliamu, a haka teacher and basketballer, was not scared of much. Wearing only a wetsuit – freedivers do not wear snorkels or tanks – he bobbed up and down and scavenged for kina and paua. Shortly after lunchtime, he sank beneath the waves and struggled to resurface. He was dragged ashore and two bystanders performed CPR before a Kaikoura Volunteer Fire Brigade crew arrived with a defibrillator. He died before a rescue helicopter landed. A coroner will examine the cause of death. The father of four was one of eight men, all aged 35 to 64, to have died diving in New Zealand waters this year – surpassing last year’s total of seven. They included Michael John Hodges, Selwyn Haeata and Neil Brookes.
Water Safety New Zealand’s DrownBase records showed drowning deaths have risen in the past five years.
Three divers died in 2012, four in 2013, three in 2014 and nine in 2015.
Rena Viliamu said her husband had a deep respect for the ocean. He viewed it as a sacred place. He followed proper etiquette, knew the regulations and checked the tides. He learnt from a master and Dusky Sound Sand Fly Bay taught their children to dive, never letting them near the water until they understood safety precautions, she said. For others, it may not have been the case. Diving alone, failing equipment and over confidence were leading contributors to the surge in fatalities in free divers, scuba divers and snorkellers, Senior Sergeant Bruce Adams, head of the police national dive squad, said. Although ‘‘single mishaps can often be managed’’, when several occur at once, panic sets in. Divers needed to check weather conditions and ensure they were medically fit before they headed out to sea. ‘‘However frustrating it may be, if the conditions aren’t quite right, there will always be another day to head into the water,’’ Adams said. ‘‘Whether you’re the one wanting to go diving, or the friend or loved one of a diver, paying attention to these basic precautionary measures can help prevent a tragic result.’’ Adams said the squad saw the same issues arising in every diving death.
In the past decade, 33 diver deaths involved lost contact with a buddy, 21 divers were medically unfit to dive, 19 had not properly checked equipment, 18 were not carrying the correct weight, 16 did not have their gear properly serviced, 16 dived with faulty equipment and 14 undertook dives beyond their training or experience.
Adams said more people were diving with health conditions, or while taking unsafe medications.
Divers should have their equipment serviced annually, avoid diving in poor weather and not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before the trip, Adams said.
‘‘They should complete training and be realistic and confident in their ability.
‘‘This is not a blame game, but an honest look at what we all can do better [to] ensure everyone gets home safely after a day in the water.’’
Rena Viliamu said her husband was a keen swimmer and body boarder – a true ‘‘water baby’’.
The family holidayed in the same spot the previous weekend and had dived there for 16 years.
‘‘It was the only place he could just think. He could be at peace with himself. He was always on the search for new things, so he could get away from the rest of the world and just be him.’’
Rena Viliamu spent many summers standing at the shoreline, watching her husband scour the ocean. He knew never to dive alone.
‘‘If I was with him he would always pop his head up, always make sure I could see the snorkel.’’
Rena Viliamu found peace knowing her husband was in a place that felt like home.
William Viliamu’s death was the third diving fatality to affect the family. Her uncle died in a diving accident several years ago and a family friend perished a few years earlier.
Waikawa Dive Centre owner Stuart Scaife said diving could put the body under tremendous stress. Though it was good practice, it was not a legal requirement to have a medical check for recreational diving.
‘‘Every diver needs to take responsibility for themselves to make sure they are fit. Some attitudes are a bit blase´ , their equipment is not 100 per cent, but they just think ‘I’ll live with it’.’’
He noted the recent deaths were during private outings, highlighting the importance of following protocol when diving outside of a commercial operation and completing refresher courses.
‘‘You can certainly get a bit rusty, if your mask gets knocked off you could well panic and that’s when things go wrong.’’
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Jonty Mills said the thriving diving community was ‘‘generally well served with regards to training and safe diving practices’’.
Some would always fall into ‘‘bad habits’’, he said.
‘‘It could be the difference between life and death if you get it wrong. You cannot afford to take risks diving and safety must be the highest priority.’’
Six of the diver deaths this year were in the South Island – Sand Fly Bay in Dunedin, Stephens Island in the Marlborough Sounds, Motunau in Canterbury, Dusky Sound in the Fiordland National Park and two in Kaikoura.
‘‘Plan your dive and dive your plan,’’ Mills said. ‘‘Diving can be an amazing experience and, with a little effort, it will also be a safe one.’’