Father drowns while trying to save his children at Kairaki

Press, 4 January 1978, Page 1

Father drowns while trying to save his children at Kairaki

hat began as a pleasant family outing ended in disastei at Kairaki Beach, at the mouth of the Waimakariri River, yesterday afternoon. A father drowned while trying to save his three children who were caught in an ebb-tide.

The three children were rescued by swimmers at the crowded beach, but afterwards it was discovered that their father was missing.

He had entered the water with the swimmers to try to rescue the children. A sea and aerial search was made, but about 4.30 P-m. — almost two hours after the accident — the man’s body was washed up on the beach, 400 m north of the Waimakariri River mouth.

The children’s father, who was divorced, lived in Christchurch. However, because he was from Britain, his name has not been released because next-of-kin have not been informed. There was confusion both on the beach and for emergency services when the alarm was given.

A man had taken a 5m centre-board yacht out into the Waimakariri River in an attempt to rescue the three children, and he got into difficulties when the boat capsized at the mouth of the river.

The first call to the operations room of the Christchurch Police was received at 3.12 p.m. saying that a yacht was in trouble at the Waimakariri rivermouth. This was followed soon afterwards by another call to say that a father was missing after trying to rescue two children from drowning at the rivermouth. It was later established that three children were involved.

The yachtsman was rescued by members of the Pegasus Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, whose headquarters are about 500 m

north of the mouth of the river.

One member of the club said that it was unwise for the man to have taken the yacht out into the mouth of the river on an ebb tide.

Various services were employed in the search for the missing man. The Europa jet rescue boat, owned by the Canterbury Surf Life-saving Association, a runabout owned by a member of the Pegasus Surf Life-saving Club, the Sumner lifeboat, and a light aircraft owned by the Canterbury Aero Club, which was originally on an instruction flight, were all involved.

Members of the Spencer Park Surf Life-saving Club also went to the south side of the Waimakariri rivermouth, but found conditions too rough for the rescue equipment they had

brought from the clubhouse.

A member of the Pegasus Bay Surf Life-saving Club, Mr Angus Wilson, criticised people who swam at the mouth of the Waimakariri.

He said it was upsetting for club members to see people swimming in the dangerous area at the mouth of the river, when about 600 m north the surf club patrolled an area between the red and yellow flags.

It meant that surf-club members had to keep an eye on the beach at the rivermouth, by the Kairaki camping ground, as well as on the patrolled area, Mr Wilson said.

His warning was directed particularly to swimmers, and to fishermen who allowed their children to swim at the mouth of the river.