Rescue sparks plea for safety on river float
A trio had to be retrieved by kayakers after attempting the float on a whim
The Waikato River float season is in full swing and the latest rescue has police pleading with the public to at least take basic water safety precautions on the dangerous stretch of water through Taupō.
A group of people attempted to float down the Waikato River on Wednesday last week, using nothing but empty plastic bottles and a child’s kick board for flotation, prompting Taupō police to renew water safety calls this summer.
Police were alerted that the trio might be in danger after a family member called to report they were overdue , said Search and Rescue Senior Constable Barry Shepherd.
The three, a 34-year-old man, 19-year-old woman and a 16-year-old man, were visiting from another area, said Shepherd, and appeared to have made the decision to attempt a river float on a whim using what they had to hand.
They entered the Waikato River with only a pool flotation aid suitable for a small child and two 1.5 litre plastic containers.
The group was in the water for longer than they had planned, which prompted their family to call police.
After being notified about 6pm, the Coastguard and harbourmaster were activated but were stood down as the swimmers were retrieved by passing kayakers. The three were wearing only swimming togs and had been in the water for some time, Shepherd said.
“They took much longer than they expected. They were damn cold. They were caught in the nick of time ... if no-one had been there, it might have been a different outcome.”
Shepherd said emergency services would prefer people did not attempt the river float at all, but acknowledged “we can’t stop people going in the river [or] making spur of the moment decisions”.
He said people needed to at least take basic measures to ensure their own safety.
“If people are going to do the float, they need buoyancy vests, they need to stick together and they need to make good decisions.”
Water Safety New Zealand’s recent report on preventable drownings in 2023 included 16 deaths in the Waikato region.
The most dangerous environments in Waikato were rivers and streams, where six drownings occurred, and beaches, where there were five.
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Daniel Gerrard said the Waikato region, with its abundant water bodies, including rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, was a hub for recreational water activities.
“This also makes it a region with potential water safety risks.”
Shepherd made no bones about the importance of safety on the water.
“People who make good decisions generally don’t drown.”
On Monday, the Taupō & Tū rangi Herald headed to Hipapatua Recreational Reserve where a steady stream of floaters were exiting the water.
A group from the Netherlands, Germany and UK who were in the area on a working holiday had just finished an uneventful float down the river on pool toys.
Dutch woman Wietske Pibbets said they had been told about the river float by their boss.
“It was really cool, you can swim as well - nice and peaceful - and nice you can see the bungy jump and swing there ... it was all fun.”