Child drowns after being swept into sea at Napier
Friday, 21 February 2020
A child has drowned after been swept into the sea at Te Awa, Napier.
The boy was among a group of about five people at the water's edge beside a freedom camping carpark at the southern end of Marine Parade, when he was swept into the sea about 3.40pm on Friday.
Coastguard sent a vessel to the site, between Napier and Clive, and the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter was deployed. Port of Napier also responded to the incident.
Hawke's Bay Area Prevention Manager Inspector Marty James said it appeared the group, understood to be locals, was playing in the surf when the child was swept out.
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The sea was rough with large waves crashing on the shore.
Someone in the camp area called police, who arrived quickly. Two constables - a 27-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman - both trained lifesavers, entered the water in a bid to reach the boy.
'They were able to reach him and get hold of him. They stayed with him while Coastguard and the rescue helicopter were deployed. The three of them continued to be swept out'.
The helicopter lifted the trio from the water, but the child died at the scene, James said.
A police spokesman said he understood a rāhui was in place.
COUNCIL TO LOOK AT INCREASING SIGNAGE
Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said she had been made aware of Friday's 'very sad occurrence'.
'First and foremost, I want to extend my sympathies to the family.'
Wise said for Napier City Council, safety of the public and community was an important issue which was at the forefront of the council's focus.
Wise would be ensuring the council would look at the issue of signage across Napier's Marine Pde beach, in light of Friday's event.
Tens of thousands of tourists are expected to descend on Napier over the weekend as part of the city's annual Art Deco Festival, commemorating its art deco architecture borne out of the 1931 earthquake, which killed 256 people.
Wise said she would be instructing Napier City Council staff to look at the signage currently in place along the stretch of beach, and whether or not more needed to be added.
Emma Sutherland, of the Pacific Surf Life Saving Club, which patrols Napier's Marine Pde beach, said the club had organised extra lifeguards and road patrol for Art Deco Festival weekend.
It was in contact with the Art Deco Trust about increased monitoring and policing of the beach, and it would not put flags out unless it was safe to swim, she said.
The club would be working closely with St John Ambulance and other emergency services.
Increased attention was required over Art Deco Festival weekend because 'there's going to be so many people', Sutherland said.
Sutherland was aware of a 'big surf' on Marine Pde at the moment.
The Art Deco Trust, which manages the festival, was not immediately available for comment.
MetService is forecasting a high of 30C in Napier on Saturday, and a forecasted high of 22C on Sunday.
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Jonty Mills said the organisation advocated for any mechanisms which warned people about potential water hazards.
A lot of people would be travelling to Napier this weekend who were unfamiliar with local beach conditions, Mills said, so it was important the local authority took 'ownership of' its community and warned people of dangers, if they existed.
In January 2018, the body of 32-year-old French tourist Pierre Paludet was recovered off Napier's Awatoto Beach.
In 2016, Joseph Terrill, 51, drowned on Marine Pde beach. After that incident, Napier City Council said it was planning on putting more signage along the stretch of beach, warning people of the dangerous coastline.
Napier City Council and the police have been approached for further comment.