Emily Jordan Not Briefed About How To Escape, Boyfriend To Give Evidence

picture Daily Mail

See other posts about the trial here: Emily Jordan

From worcesternews.co.uk Monday 17 August

"A FORMER Worcester schoolgirl who died taking part in an extreme sport was not briefed about how to escape in an emergency, a court was told.

Emily Jordan, of Trim-pley, near Bewdley, was riverboarding in the Kawarau River Gorge near Queenstown on New Zealand’s south island in April last year.

The former Alice Ottley School (which has now merged with the Royal Grammar School) student became trapped between rocks and drowned. Now 16 months since the accident, the adventure trip operator and its director are standing trial over health and safety failings.

During the first day of the trial yesterday, the court was told how employees of Mad Dog River Boarding did not tell the group how to escape if they got trapped.

The court was also told how company director Brad McLeod’s boat carried neither throw-bags nor ropes the day 21-year-old Miss Jordan died.McLeod and his company face three charges each over Miss Jordan’s death, including failing to ensure the actions or inaction of employees did not harm Miss Jordan Other charges, which have been laid under the Health and Safety Employment Act 1992, are failure to take all practical steps to ensure the safety of employees and the prevention of possible hazards."

From Yahoo.co.nz

"The boyfriend of an English tourist who died while riverboarding with a Queenstown company last year will give evidence by video link at the company's trial.

British woman Emily Jordan, 21, drowned after becoming trapped by rocks while riverboarding on the Kawarau River Gorge last April, on an outing organised by Black Sheep Adventures Ltd, which trades as Mad Dog River Boarding.

Director Brad McLeod and his company deny three charges each laid by Maritime New Zealand under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Yesterday, prosecutors told Queenstown District Court Mr McLeod's boat was not carrying throw-bags or ropes the day Ms Jordan drowned.

The company was taking tourists on excursions when the river level was unusually low and had not briefed them on how to escape if trapped when riding on the modified wakeboard, the court was told.

Ms Jordan had been under water for about 20 minutes before a boat operated by another company came along. The crew of the second boat used ropes to retrieve her body.

Her boyfriend, Jonny Armour, was standing on the riverbank while rescuers recovered her corpse.

He and an American woman, who was also on the trip, will give evidence in the trial by videolink from London and New York respectively."

See also:

Emily Jordan's Death: Mad Dog Riverboarding in court

Family of drowned woman says NZ government have kept it in the dark

Father questions safety after river sports death

Rope, Knife may have saved life