A 21-year-old Otago University student most likely drowned after he slipped on, or was struck by, a floating pontoon in Lake Hawea, which had been put in place about two weeks earlier.
At the conclusion of the inquest yesterday, Southern Region Coroner David Crerar found Blair Andrew Martyn (21), of Timaru, died from asphyxia due to drowning on December 30, 2008, at Scott's beach, Lake Hawea.
Mr Crerar said the "more likely scenario" was Mr Martyn either slipped on the pontoon, which was about 60m from the beach, or was struck by it, affecting his ability to swim.
The postmortem report prepared for Mr Crerar said Mr Martyn had a facial contusion and underlying scalp bruising.
It was not possible to determine whether Mr Martyn received the injuries before losing consciousness, or as a result of a final movement in the water.
The facial injury was "not of a sufficient degree to cause death", but it was possible it caused "brief incapacitation or loss of consciousness, leading to drowning", the report said.
Mr Crerar said in order for bruising to occur, the person who was bruised "must be alive", leading him to believe Mr Martyn was struck, or slipped, became unconscious and then drowned.
The coroner heard Mr Martyn was holidaying in Lake Hawea township with a university friend, Elizabeth Tyree, and her mother, Sandra.
Mr Martyn, described as fit and healthy, arrived in the township on December 27 and had been for a swim every day in the lake.
On December 30, he set off at 10.30am to go for a swim.
Mrs Tyree said she asked Mr Martyn if he wanted her to watch him "because it was wavy".
"He said, 'No, Sandy, I'll be fine,' and he rolled his eyes at me."
After 45min Mr Martyn had not returned, and she had a brief look for him but said she "wasn't worried at that time".
An hour later, she became concerned and went for a drive to find him, looking around the township and at the camping ground.
"I drove past the beach and Scotts beach and there were plenty of people there, so nothing stood out ... Eventually, around 3pm to 4pm, I took [Elizabeth] and [another friend] for another drive and we went straight to Scotts beach this time."
Mrs Tyree said just a couple of people were on the beach and she immediately noticed a pile of clothes and a towel on the beach that she thought she had seen earlier.
Elizabeth went to look at the items and "she came back with them in her hands, saying they were Blair's".
Mrs Tyree notified the police, who contacted former police officer Trevor Hewson, now involved with water rescue.
Mr Hewson said when he arrived at Scotts beach about 7.30pm, there was a strong on-shore wind and large swell.
After searching around the pontoon, Mr Hewson began an east-to-west search from the pontoon back to the beach.
"I found a male lying face down off the bottom of the lake bed.
"He was still moving with the surge of the water. His body was almost floating.
"I returned to the beach, grabbed a rope and tied it around the stomach area of the body.
"The male was obviously dead. He was stiff and he had dirt clinging to him that sticks to rocks in the lake."
Constable Bruce McLean, of Wanaka, said after police arrived and Mr Martyn's body was removed from the lake, the only injuries that were clearly visible were light grazing to his nose and left temple area.
Const McLean said Mr Martyn was known to be a "capable swimmer", was in good health and physically fit, and routinely engaged in various sports.
Mr Crerar said the only recommendation he could make was to be mindful of conditions when swimming and if those conditions could be considered "hazardous", not to swim unsupervised or alone.
"Mrs Tyree offered to [watch] Blair... Blair declined the support that was offered."
