Statement attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Martin James
Hawke’s Bay Police Search and Rescue Coordinators would like to extend their gratitude and thanks to the many volunteers involved in search and rescue in Hawke’s Bay recently.
With special thanks to the Surf Hawke’s Bay Call Out Squad and Waimarama Surf Club, The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter, Land SAR Hawke’s Bay and Hawke’s Bay Volunteer Coastguard after a busy start to the year with three drownings in one week.
Surf Call Out Squad, Coastguard and local Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter units responded to the initial call of the 37-year old mother who drowned in the Tuki Tuki River mouth. Surf Hawke’s Bay Rescue returned the following day for an estuary search and within an hour located the victim’s body. They then assisted in the recovery.
The second incident was a missing French tourist. Units of the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard were activated to carry out searches of the area where he went missing.
The same evening, Waimarama Surf club were involved in a rescue where a man and woman got in difficulty in the water. The man unfortunately drowned as a result after the normal beach routine patrol had stopped for the day. Members of the Waimarama Surf Club responded to the volunteer fire siren and followed the vehicle to the Surf Club before assisting in retrieving the deceased man and his wife. Without their efforts it could have easily have been a double fatality due to the condition that they were pulled from.
Hawke’s Bay Land SAR and Surf Lifesaving were called on again in an extensive search for the entire day, of the estuary and riverbank area for the missing French tourist. This is an extensive use of volunteers giving up their own time and work to assist Police in their efforts to locate missing persons.
The Frenchman’s body was found ashore on Awatoto Beach several days later by members of the public. This resulted in the recovery of the third drowning victim in that week period.
Over the seven day period members of the volunteer search and rescue services in Hawke’s Bay donated an excess of 300 hours for the search and recovery of the three drowning victims. When asked to provide staff or resources they responded providing Police with everything that was asked of them.
These volunteer members are often of a young age and exposed to the grim reality of search and rescue and body recovery work. Without these volunteers giving up their work time, much of it unpaid or annual leave, Police would not be able to operate in the search and rescue area as they currently do.
It is with extreme gratitude and thanks from Police and the victims’ families in the assistance of recovering their loved ones, to all involved. Both at the forefront in the field and those committees that fundraise and run those organisations.
Police would also like to acknowledge the passing of Tony Young, a stalwart of Marine Search and Rescue for the Hawke’s Bay area who died this week.
Tony was the longest active serving member of the Hawke’s Bay Volunteer Coastguard with 35 years with the unit. He made his own vessel available for searches and operations, was involved in operations in the management role and was a long serving committee member and patron of the Unit. It was his driving force and dedication to the marine environment that built the Coastguard Education and Rescue building on Meeanee Quay. He was a man who loved the sea and his skills and knowledge in this area will be sorely missed. Police would like to extend their condolences to his many friends and family.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre