A Queenstown river boarding operator hadn't told would-be adventurers how to escape if trapped under rocks before a trip which ended in the drowning of an English tourist, a court was told today.
Maritime New Zealand prosecutors told Queenstown District Court that Mad Dog River Boarding director Brad McLeod's boat carried neither throw-bags nor ropes the day 21-year-old British woman Emily Jordan drowned, Radio New Zealand reported.
The company was taking tourists on excursions when the river level was unusually low and had not briefed them on how to escape if trapped when riding on the modified wakeboard, the court was told.
McLeod and his company face three charges each over Ms Jordan's death on the Kawarau River Gorge last April.
McLeod denied all charges. If found guilty, each conviction carried a fine of up to $250,000.
The tourist had been under water for about 20 minutes before a boat operated by another company came along. The crew of the second boat used ropes to retrieve her body.
The incident was especially harrowing for her boyfriend, who was standing on the riverbank while rescuers recovered her corpse, the court was told.
Today was the first day of the hearing, which was expected to take five days.
