Actions addressed boy’s panic, ensured rescue

Two people have been awarded New Zealand Bravery Medals for their actions at a tragedy in Glenorchy just over three years ago.

On the afternoon of January 19, 2023, a young boy was playing in the Rees River when he was pulled by the current downriver and into Lake Wakatipu, in the vicinity of Glenorchy wharf.

The boy panicked when he was unable to touch the bottom or swim against the current, becoming submerged at the confluence of the river and lake.

Sergeant Harry Ghodke, an off-duty police officer, was nearby with his family. He spotted the boy and swam to the area of the lake where he had seen the boy go underwater.

Sgt Ghodke grabbed the boy, who climbed on top of him, which dragged Sgt Ghodke further down into the lake. He struggled with the undertow to keep his head above water and the boy afloat.

He reassured the boy, telling him to float on his back while he swam back to land to get more help.

Sgt Ghodke began swimming back to shore against the prevailing current, which pulled him down and impeded his progress.

About 15m from the shore he ran out of energy and tried standing, but found no solid footing. He aimed at his family on the shore and put his energies into reaching land which he did, exhausted.

Another man on the other side of the river, Jonny Young, saw Sgt Ghodke swimming back without the boy and decided to swim out to help. Mr Young reached the boy and began pulling him, but they were separated and Mr Young stopped swimming due to exhaustion.

Susan Burke was passing by and talked to Sgt Ghodke about swimming out to help. Ms Burke spotted Mr Young and the boy about 15m from the shore and swam out to the pair, noting the water deepened sharply around 10 metres from shore.

Ms Burke reached the boy and was able to swim with him back to shore. At this time, Mr Young was about 7m from the shore and did not signal any distress before his head went underwater and he disappeared from view. As Ms Burke returned with the boy, people on the shore were yelling ‘‘he’s gone under’’. Sgt Ghodke waded out to meet Ms Burke and took the boy from her, telling her to go back out to help Mr Young.

Ms Burke swam to her prior location but could not see Mr Young. Two other men swam out to join her and Ms Burke ducked under the water several times, before the trio agreed to stop searching.

Mr Young had drowned in his attempt to rescue the boy and his body was recovered the following day.

The actions of Sgt Ghodke addressed the immediate panic of the boy, calming him and having him float, allowing further time for a rescue to occur.

Ms Burke’s actions ensured the rescue of the young boy and, while tired from her efforts, she committed to searching for Mr Young to the limit of her ability