Hokitika River takes Christchurch family's 'precious' only child after pair is swept away

Friday, 27 September 2019

The search continues for Emily Branje, of Christchurch, who was swept out to sea in Hokitika. Pictured in January competing in the under 10 sword dance at the 143rd Waimate Caledonian Games in Timaru.

The family of a young girl swept away in the Hokitika River is in shock as searches fail to find any trace of her.

Emily Branje, 9, and a 69-year-old man, understood to be her step-granddad, fell into the the water at the river mouth on Thursday morning, triggering a large search involving police Search and Rescue (SAR), Coastguard, LandSAR, Maritime NZ, local surf rescue and a helicopter crew.

Emily Branje, of Christchurch, was on holiday with family in Hokitika.

Emily, who was from Christchurch, had been spending school holidays with extended family in Hokitika.

Her family said in a statement they were in 'shock and grief' after receiving the news about their 'precious only child'.

The search for Emily continues along the Hokitika River mouth area.

'This is a tragic, incomprehensible time for us and we request privacy while we come to terms with what has happened.'

The river mouth had been searched overnight at low tide after 9-year-old Emily got swept away.

The man, who police originally said was in his 80s, was pulled out by a member of the public but Emily is still missing.

The rivermouth was been searched Thursday overnight at low tide and a shoreline search continued on Friday, with no success. A helicopter was called in to access remote sections of the coast.

About 7pm on Friday, a police spokeswoman said the search had stopped for the day. It would resume early on Saturday.

Senior Sergeant Brent Cook earlier said the pair 'got into trouble and a member of the public was able to retrieve the gentleman but the girl went further out and is still missing'.

They were not wearing lifejackets, he said.

Thursday's rescue efforts had to be abandoned for a time due to rough seas.