A survivor of the Mangatepopo River tragedy, a grieving father and a local river specialist have said the instructor leading the ill-fated party should not be blamed for the seven deaths.
Elim Christian College pupil Sarah Brooks (15) said yesterday it was not Jodie Sullivan's fault the six pupils and teacher Tony McClean died.
Mr McClean's father, John, said Ms Sullivan, a physical education graduate of the University of Otago, had done all she could in the river.
‘‘In that moment, she saved four of those kids.''
Mr McClean said he and his wife had travelled to the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre and met Miss Sullivan.
‘‘In the morning, she was absolutely distraught. We just hugged her and bawled our eyes out for about 15 minutes.''
Tyronne Smith, the river expert used as a police adviser during the search, also said ‘‘no fault'' could be placed on Miss Sullivan or the centre. However, Mr Smith, who is a Department of Conservation ranger and local Maori leader, said he, personally, would not have gone in the river, for fear of flash flooding.
‘‘It was one of those days where systems don't work,'' he said. ‘‘In looking for blame, we may be asking questions we aren't going to get answers for.''
More details of the drama emerged yesterday when Sarah Brook told The New Zealand Herald that once the water began rising in the river, the plan was to swim just a short distance to the safety of the riverbank.
‘‘It was just a little way down and it looked easy when everyone else was doing it.''
But when it was Sarah's turn to enter the water she found it was not as easy as it looked.
She was getting ‘‘dunked under'', lost her boots and was getting ‘‘quite panicked''.
‘‘I forgot to paddle like we were supposed to but [the instructor] was there with the rope, so I didn't really worry,'' Sarah said. ‘‘She threw the rope to me but it fell short and I completely missed it. It wasn't her fault.''
Sarah and Kish Proctor were the only two who survived after being swept over the Mangatepopo dam. Two other pupils who survived had not gone over the dam.
Mr Smith said he wanted the Outdoor Pursuits Centre to continue taking students through the gorge and would advise any reviews that it should not be closed down.
‘‘I know the value of what they are teaching the kids in that gorge. It is a beautiful experience.''
He emphasised his decision not to go in was not critical, but one ‘‘made with hindsight and local knowledge''.
Ms Sullivan had worked at the centre for three months and was not likely to have seen the stream in rain.
The decision to go in was made by the centre's field manager, who has 10 years of local knowledge. - The New Zealand Herald
