Russian Tourist Dies After Marlborough Sounds Dive

Another foreign tourist has died in a tourism activity in New Zealand.

This latest fatality was on 6 January during a guided dive in Port Gore at the top of the South Island, part of the Marlborough Sounds which also was the scene of the dolphin boat incident in December when an Australian tourist’s legs were shredded.

It was a  58 year old Russian woman who died, she was part of a group of seven Russian divers accompanied by five diving staff who went out to explore the sunken Russian ship Mikhal Lermantov.
According to a NZ Police press release

The women entered the water to dive the wreck, however shortly afterwards returned to the boat for unknown reasons and died on board.
The cause of the woman’s death is unclear and the matter is being referred to the Coroner. A Post mortem is planned for Monday the 10th January in Christchurch.
The women is said to be an experienced diver and a member of a Russian dive club which is currently touring New Zealand diving various sites…more here

According to a report on Stuff the tourist group had been on an excursion organised by Dive Picton

In a statement Dive Picton owners, Ben and Dale Ashworth, said a paramedic and several qualified staff had attended the woman after she collapsed on their dive boat, Ruku.
“Unfortunately after a long period of resuscitation she was unable to be revived.”

The Press also published an interview with the owners

A Russian tourist who died on a Marlborough Sounds dive trip collapsed on a boat after briefly entering the water.
Dive Picton owners Ben and Dale Ashworth said the 58-year-old woman returned to their vessel, Ruku, in Port Gore after a couple of minutes in the water, and collapsed about noon on Thursday.  It was unknown why she had returned, but Ben Ashworth said her Russian colleagues had indicated she was "uncomfortable" and had to be helped on board...

 Our deepest condolences go out to the woman’s family and friends.

Adventure tourism companies were recently the subject of a wide ranging review of the industry following a large number of high profile deaths and serious accidents over the last few years in New Zealand, some of the deaths occurred during water related activities including jet boating, canyoning and river boarding.

As a result of the review adventure tourism regulations were introduced for the first time in New Zealand, however these do not fully take effect for another four years. Read New Adventure Tourism Deaths Drawn Up – 4 Year Grace Period.

In November a party of tourists from various countries was injured when their Shotover jet collided with a cliff wall and Swedish tourist died whilst swimming with dolphins in the sea off Kaikoura.
Travel Advisories About New Zealand

A number of countries have taken the precaution of issuing travel advisories to their citizens about the risks involved with visiting New Zealand. 

This is Australia’s recent release (emphasis ours)

“Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent.Travellers need to make their own judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.” (Sept 2010)

Article in the Sydney Morning Herald - “Adventure tourism a deadly business” August 24 2010:

“NZPA
Adventure tourists are killing themselves for a good time in New Zealand.  So much so that the government is looking at tougher measures to improve safety in the industry.
During five years (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009) 39 people died in NZ in what are recorded as workplace activities. But the actual number is likely to be much higher as recreational deaths were not included…” read full article here

Further reading  – Our NZ Adventure Tourism Facts and Stats page


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Tourist Seriously Inured By NZ Dolphin Boat

Today’s Stuff is carrying a story about an Australian tourist who was flown to hospital after being cut by a boat propeller in Ruakaka Bay, Marlborough Sounds shortly before midday.

The woman, who is said to be 49  year old Catherine Carlyle from Adelaide, came into contact with the propeller as she jumped off the back of the Dolphin Watch Ecotours boat, sustaining deep lacerations to her legs and a possible fracture.

According to the news report

“…When the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter met the boat at the wharf in Picton ambulance officers were already treating the woman.
Pilot Logan Taylor said the cuts to her legs “were quite deep”.
“She got told it was OK to hop in and obviously the prop was still turning,” he said.
“They were going to do some snorkelling.”
The woman was flown to Wellington Hospital where she is being treated for her injuries…” Read the full report here

Our thoughts are with Ms Carlyle and we wish her a full and speedy recovery from her injuries.

Judging from the severity of her wounds it is possible that the propeller was still turning as she entered the water, if so she was very fortunate not to have suffered massive blood loss or the loss of a limb. We wonder how many “near misses’ may have happened with other people before she was injured.

Update 12 December 2010 – Bad News for NZ Tourism, Safety Needs Hard Look At

A Blenheim based relative of the injured woman was reported in Stuff as saying:

“It’s absolutely hideous,” he said. “That it could ever happen is just crazy. It’s just bad news for New Zealand tourism. It’s just another activity New Zealand is renowned for that has now gone wrong. The safety issues need a really hard look at.”

Further details of the incident were revealed on Stuff:

“The group had already done one dive when the boat stopped in Ruakaka for a second dive.
The tour guide blew the whistle to say it was safe to jump.
Mrs Carlyle got caught in the boats propellers and had deep cuts all over her legs. One leg was broken.
She was airlifted to Wellington Hospital and had surgery yesterday afternoon…” read the full report here

A number of deaths have occurred recently whilst people have been swimming with dolphins in New Zealand.

Last month Swedish tourist Anita Engman, age 56, drowned whilst swimming with dolphins in the sea off Kaikoura. She was on organised event with Encounter Kaikoura and had been on holiday in New Zealand with her husband and friends from Sweden.

Three other people have died whilst swimming with dolphins or whales in New Zealand, at the time of their deaths this activity was not governed by any guidelines or standards. Among them was American tourist Emily May Parker, from Denver Colorado, who was found face down in Marlborough Sound whilst on a tour with Dolphin Ecowatch Tours in October 2009.

According to an article published in the Marlborough Express at the time neither Maritime NZ nor the Department of Labour were to make any investigation into Ms Paker’s death. Even though the coroner’s investigation had yet to be completed, they believed that her death was from “natural causes” and that it was a “police matter”.

Australia Updates Travel Advice For NZ – Australia recently issued the following advice to travellers to New Zealand: (emphasis ours)

“Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent.Travellers need to make their own judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.” (Sept 2010)

Article in the Sydney Morning Herald - “Adventure tourism a deadly business” August 24 2010:

“NZPA
Adventure tourists are killing themselves for a good time in New Zealand.
So much so that the government is looking at tougher measures to improve safety in the industry.
During five years (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009) 39 people died in NZ in what are recorded as workplace activities.
But the actual number is likely to be much higher as recreational deaths were not included…” read full article here

Further reading  – Our NZ Adventure Tourism Facts and Stats page
 
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Inconsitency In Evidence At Catherine Peters Manslaughter Trial

We’ve noticed a glaring inconsistency in the evidence being presented at the trial of Alistair McWhannell, Crag Adventures, for the manslaughter of Catherine Peters.

Back at the depositions hearing in August the Crown said that Mr McWhannell “had overseen 80 jumps from the bridge (and) failed to take proper care with Ms Peters’ second jump”

But in the evidence presented before the court yesterday the Prosecutor Evan McCaughan said Mr McWhannell had supervised close to 20,000 bridge-swings prior to Ms Peters’ fall.

Now, which is it?

How many jumps did McWhannell supervise in the period October-March and how does the prosecution explain the enormous difference in the figures?

Evidence presented before the court alleges that McWhannell was distracted by another woman whilst preparing Catherine for her second jump:

“The Crown says McWhannell was the only one in charge of the swing and he failed to do his job.
Mr McCaughan told the jury the rope was not secured to the bridge. “His job was simple, he had to do it for every jump,” he said.
Ms Peters was on her second jump that day but the Crown alleges McWhannell was distracted by a woman who was meant to jump after her. McWhannell had allegedly met that woman on the internet and intended to do a tandem jump with her.
It proved a fatal distraction.
“He knew the rope was too long the moment she jumped,” Mr McCaughan told the jury.
For the first time today, Ms Peters’ family came to court. In a statement they describe how they miss her.
“We miss terribly her bouncing into a room, enthusiastic about her latest idiosyncratic discovery, her humour, her insightfulness and wisdom, her friendship and mentoring, her sense of fun.
“The man who loved Catherin support one another in this ongoing heartbreak.”
Ms Peters would have turned 20 last Saturday.”

We’re reminded of the comment that “complacency and an underestimation of risks” contributed to a canyoning tragedy that killed 6 students and their teacher in another outdoor adventure tragedy in NZ.

We are left wondering wondering why such critical elements such as the length of a rope and making sure to tie it off can ever be allowed, surely ‘human error’ is foreseeable?.
Where are the fail safes in this ‘safe’ system of work and why did safety inspectors allow this practice to continue? (i

Update 16 June 2010 - Climbing Wall Guidance Issued May 2010
Amazingly no official safety guidance for something as established as Climbing Walls existed in New Zealand at the time of a serious 'accident' at Ferg’s Rock and Kayak, Wellington in 2008.

Following the incident the Dept of Labour issued a “hazard bulletin”, including a safety checklist, to 35 operators of climbing walls nationwide to help them ensure they take all practicable steps, as required by law, to protect their customers. (Official safety guidance for climbing wall operators has been around since 2001 in the UK)

"The Department had been concerned at the growing number of wall climbing accidents and believes the industry’s development of guidelines is important to improve safety standards. The Department will work with the industry as required to facilitate this.
The need for such guidelines was endorsed by the Greymouth coroner last month in his findings on the death of a woman after a climbing wall accident in Greymouth in April 2009.
The Department’s key messages to climbing wall managers are to ensure beginners are properly instructed in belay procedures and demonstrate competence before climbing, and to ensure constant supervision of the climbing wall.  They also need to review safety procedures to ensure they meet minimum standards and ensure their lead instructors hold suitable New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association qualification." source

 Isn't about time that similar guidance and support was issued to operators of bridge swings?

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NZ - The Most Boring Place On Earth

Earlier today we covered the MSN Travel UK announcement that New Zealand was the most boring place on earth according to the people on their message board.

Here are some more of the comments that were made, why chose NZ when you could have...Wales?

"New Zealand.
Well...dull if you come from UK and then after 30 hours of travel, you realise you could have gone an hour into Wales instead!  ...but then it's your own fault; firstly for giving it the benefit of the doubt and secondly for staying 2.5 months when you were really after a change of culture that you subsequently found in Asia!!
I know many people love 'the dullest place on earth' ;-) but for me, Australia beats it hands down."

"have to agree with you about New Zealand!
Rotura is the smelliest place in earth it was also the most unfriendly - I was walking across a road and 2 guys in a van decided to use the middle finger gesture for no reason!
It is def the southern hemisphere's answer to Wales!
Just another thing Air NewZealand - they are c*ap as well - the country can't do anything right."

"New Zealand is without doubt, although very beautiful, the most depressing place to live, been here for three years, as for shop staff being friendly you are sadly misguided they are more false than Jordan's breasts, pre proggrammed responses to everyone "how are you today" to everyone but when you respond they are completely flumoxed because they cant engage in conversation or they ask you the exact same question 2 seconds later lol.
Also came here as supposed to speak English but dont understand us even though we speak clear English, really low wages very expensive housing in comparison to wages. Boring lifestyle, bad education system, aggresive drivers, drugs are considered part of normal life as is drink driving."

"Sorry, but having spent a while working in New Zealand, I was disappointed in the place.  It has its' redeeming features but moving there should be considered very carefully.  It was boring, the wages suck and the weather can be as bad as the Uk and is often worse.  Beautiful scenery doesn't pay for the high cost of living and do not get me started on the damp homes and lack of central heating!!!!!!  It's ok for an expensive holiday but if you want to live somewhere picturesque with a few friendly people and lots of outdoor activities, then move to Wales or the Lakes!!!!!!!!!!"

"New Zealand.Really Dull,with its pompous Population of dead beats who enjoy a strange,boring life style."

"yes new zealand is 30 years behind avoid at all costs its very overrated."

"Yes New Zealand is incredibly dull. All you ever get from the Kiwis is how beautiful it is...... but they are actually all completely bored themselves. A vast percentage of them are always in the UK...... probably looking for some stimulation!"

"Either Norfolk, England, or Aukland, New Zealand.
I went on holiday in Aukland, and we were so bored, my father, my sister and I, went to a food court of a mall and gave ourselves a challenge: to eat one full portion of something from every restaurant in the food court. There were about twenty different restaurants.As you can tell, we were bored out of our MINDS!!! Well, it goes to show; the only funny thing about New Zealand is 'The Flight of the Conchords.' "

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Rangitikei River Drownings

This afternoon there was was another tragic drowning in a NZ rafting river - the Rangitikei River near Bulls which has stretches of grade 4 and 5 white water. Police were said to be in attendance and visibly upset people were being comforted.

In October 2007 trainee guide Tor Prestmo, 24, from Norway, drowned when he was swept under water after a collision between two rafts on a grade five rapid on the same river. River Valley Ventures ltd. was later convicted for health and safety breaches*. See post Another Adventure Tourism Death Results in Prosecution - Tor Prestmo.

A year earlier a school student from Newcastle, Australia was trapped and nearly drowned just 15cm below the surface of this river whilst on a rafting expedition with River Valley Ventures. Source.
There were 30 students and 5 adults in the rafting the group.

The NZ Maritime Safety Authority's report into the student's entrapment stated:

"Guides will in the future carry fold up snorkels as part of their rescue
kit. The maximum effective length of a pipe/hose for breathing underwater is approximately 18cm. If using a hose from a raft pump, the hose can be cut to the right length."

Full report may be found here

Another fatality on the Rangitikei River occurred in October 2005 when Andy Warren, a member of a group of senior army personnel on a leadership course, drowned when he was thrown from the raft he was in (River Valley Ventures owned and operated the raft) Full report of the drowning here

Whilst it is too soon to say if this latest fatality is as a result of adventure tourism it does come at a time when the review of the Adventure Industry (initiated following a consistent and very public pressure by Emily Jordan's father Chris) has been put on the back burner because of a lack of 'buy-in' by industry operators and is already 2 months behind schedule.

Some countries have seen fit to advise their citizens of the dangers they may face in New Zealand. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office offers the following guidance: link

Local Travel

"There have been a number of tragic accidents involving British visitors; these also include extreme sporting accidents. If you intend to participate in extreme sports you should check that the company is well established in the industry and your insurance covers you. If you intend visiting remote areas, you should check with local tourist authorities for advice before setting out. You should ensure that you register your details with a Visitor Information Centre or family or friends. Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous in some areas and you should keep yourself informed of regional weather forecasts."

Update
*River Valley was convicted of failing to take all practicable steps to protect the safety of Mr Prestmo, and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay $60,000 in reparation to his family.

See also: Teen who drowned in Rangitikei 'a good kid'. At the time of Steven Tuanau's death  there had already been three drownings in New Zealand this year.

On average (last 5 years) 114 New Zealanders per annum have died by drowning. New Zealand’s annual drowning toll is one of the worst in the developed world. (source)

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American Tourist, Caroline Lackey, Drowns In Rafing Incident. Updated Following Rangitikei River Drowning

There has been another tragic Adventure Tourism related death in New Zealand.

In an incident very reminiscent of the drowning of British tourist Emily Jordan, a 58 year old American tourist, Caroline Lackey, has died after she became trapped under a rock whilst rafting at the Te Hoe section of the Mohaka River yesterday.

Watch Kentucky news report
The trip was said to be a private one and not under the guidance of any commercial operators.

Our deepest sympathies go out to her family and friends who must be devastated by their loss. Mrs. Lackey's husband, son and daughter in law were thrown clear of the raft but fotunately managed to swim to safety.

Her death comes at a time when the review of the Adventure Industry (initiated following a consistent and very public pressure by Emily Jordan's father Chris) has been put on the back burner because of a lack of 'buy-in' by industry operators and is already 2 months behind schedule.

Some countries have seen fit to advise their citizens of the dangers they may face in New Zealand. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office offers the following guidance: link

Local Travel

"There have been a number of tragic accidents involving British visitors; these also include extreme sporting accidents. If you intend to participate in extreme sports you should check that the company is well established in the industry and your insurance covers you. If you intend visiting remote areas, you should check with local tourist authorities for advice before setting out. You should ensure that you register your details with a Visitor Information Centre or family or friends. Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous in some areas and you should keep yourself informed of regional weather forecasts."

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