Swimmer taken in strong river current
A Christchurch man tried to fight the current before he was swept away in a West Coast river, family say.
Solomone Tuitalau, 23, failed to surface after he jumped into the river from rocks upstream of the Hokitika Gorge swing bridge in Kokatahi, near Whitecombe Valley Rd, about 12.50pm on January 25.
The Hokitika Gorge is a popular tourist spot often photographed for its crystal blue waters.
The police dive squad found Tuitalau’s body just downstream from the swing bridge, where the water was 1.8 metres deep, about 6pm the next day.
Sister Liti Tuitalau said her brother had been travelling the South Island spending time with his partner.
‘‘All I know is that he was really excited. He was swimming [and] got into trouble, he tried to fight the current, but it was too strong … it took him away.
‘‘No-one could do anything to help him. The current was really strong, it was too dangerous.’’
Tuitalau’s death has been referred to the coroner.
Liti said her family were ‘‘coping’’ and ‘‘healing together’’.
Water Safety NZ chief executive Jonty Mills said the public should avoid swimming in swift-moving rivers. ‘‘Swimming in a river is different from swimming in a pool or in the sea. Swimmers often underestimate the power of the river or overestimate their own abilities.’’
He said the best place to swim in a river was in a recognised swimming spot where the water was still. Swimmers should always read signage, get local knowledge about the risks and never swim alone, Mills said.
‘‘Check out any jumping spot thoroughly before jumping. Do this by getting in the water and physically checking the depth and the whole landing area. Do this every time you visit a jumping spot to check that nothing has drifted into the landing zone since you were last there.’’
According to Water Safety NZ data, preventable fatalities in rivers increased to 19 in 2019 compared with 12 in 2018 and 17 for
2014.
In September, the body of
9-year-old Christchurch girl Emily Branje was found two days after she fell in the Hokitika River and was swept out to sea. She had been spending the school holidays with extended family.