Coastguard deflated by swimmer's death on Lake Wanaka

Monday, 18 December 2017

Wanaka Coastguard president Jonathan Walmisley says the death of swimmer David Barry Fisher at Lake Wanaka 'is a tragedy'.

A man swam into deep, cold water in Lake Wanaka to try help 26-year-old Tauranga man David Barry Fisher but could not find him.

Fisher went missing about 12.05pm on Friday while trying to retrieve a drifting boat. His body was recovered by four members of the New Zealand police dive squad the next afternoon.

Stevensons Island is in Stevensons Arm of Lake Wanaka.

The accident happened off the main south beach of Stevensons Island, a sheltered spot used by boating parties to drop off passengers.

Fisher was from Tauranga but is understood to have been working in Queenstown.

In this view of Stevensons Island, the south beach where boats land their passengers is in a central bay just visible to the right.

Commercial operators Eco Wanaka and Paddle Wanaka were at the island when Fisher went missing.

The owners of both companies declined to comment.

The water temperature at Stevensons Island was likely to have been a similar temperature to that recorded in Lake Wanaka in the days before and since – between 17.7 degrees Celsius and 18.4C.

After weeks of warm weather, it felt warm enough on top, but much colder water lurked just below the top layer.

The wind on Friday afternoon was gusting from the northwest. Outside the sheltered beach, the lake had started to chop up.

By 12.15pm, Coastguard president Jonathan Walmisley had received the emergency call and went to the Land Search and Rescue control room to help police coordinate the search for Fisher.

The commercial companies, including a staff member who volunteers for the Coastguard, did not let up their searches at the island.

Another operator, Lakeland Adventures, sent a boat and staff from Wanaka to join the search, while Coastguard skipper Lynn Stuart took two crew and a police officer in the Coastguard's own boat.

Walmisley said a helicopter and paramedic were also called from Queenstown but were stood down when it became clear Fisher could not be found.

'Indications are he went straight down,' he said.

The divers found Fisher fairly quickly the next day, not far from where he had disappeared, about 13 metres to 15m below the surface.

Walmisley believed Fisher was wearing just togs or underpants when he went after the drifting boat.

It is not known what happened. The coroner will investigate. Wanaka police search and rescue coordinator Phil Vink could not be contacted on Monday for comment.

Walmisley said alcohol was not a factor.

'It is a tragedy.

'Firstly, the water is cold. And secondly, please don't swim after a boat. You cannot swim as fast as a boat,' he said.

That Friday afternoon, fearing the worst and hoping for the best, the Coastguard coordinated at least three searches around the island.

A bathoscope – a glass bottomed instrument – was used to look under the water where Fisher was last seen, but the visibility was not good enough for anyone to spot him.

The search was suspended at 5.30pm and a decision made to call the police dive squad.

The searchers had desperately wanted a better outcome, Walmisley said.

'It was just a tragedy. We haven't had a death on the lake for quite a while. Not since Mr [Ken] Copland, the fisherman. Each death is tragic and we feel for the family. But we were pleased to be able to provide some closure . . . Even once we had become convinced a person had drowned, there was still part of us praying that he was still alive [and had somehow made it to shore]. It was very deflating finding him but we are very pleased we did,' Walmisley said.

'My thanks go to Lakeland Adventures, Paddle Wanaka and Eco Wanaka for joining the search and doing exactly what was asked of them to do. That made the Coastguard job a lot easier. They were quite willing and very supportive,' he said.

RECENT LAKE WANAKA DEATHS

Wanaka Community Board deputy chairman Ken Copland drowned aged 63 in the Makarora River while on a solo fishing trip in 2013. The coroner found Copland had lost his footing in a strong current and cold water and had been unable to retrieve himself before being swept into Lake Wanaka. The coroner recommended solo fishermen wear life jackets and carry communications equipment.

Wanaka Yacht Club member Trevor Hawke drowned aged 70 in Lake Wanaka after falling from a boat at Eely Point in 2011. The coroner found he had been unable to deploy his life jacket and had been overcome by cold water. The coroner left open the reason why a CO2 cannister had not worked properly and made recommendations about lifejacket use and education.

Eighty-two drownings have been reported in New Zealand so far this year.

Men in the 15 to 30-year age group account for about one third of drowning deaths every year, according to Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Jonty Mills.