Christchurch girl missing in Hokitika River

Searchers on the beach at Hokitika yesterday. PHOTO: JANNA SHERMAN
Searchers on the beach at Hokitika yesterday. PHOTO: JANNA SHERMAN
Police have named the Christchurch nine-year-old girl who was swept into the water at the Hokitika River mouth on Thursday.

Emily Branje was spending school holidays with extended family in Hokitika, when she and her grandfather got into trouble while whitebaiting on the West Coast. He was rescued by emergency services.

Difficult conditions are hampering the search for Emily on Friday, said police.

Emily Branje, Photo: supplied
Emily Branje, Photo: supplied

A family statement said: "We are in shock and grief after receiving the news yesterday about our precious only child, Emily.

This is a tragic, incomprehensible time for us and we request privacy while we come to terms with what has happened."

Emergency services were alerted shortly before 9.45am on Thursday that two people were in the sea off the river mouth and drifting northwards past Hokitika, after being swept away.

A strong southwesterly combined with king tide conditions created a very heavy swell, and another whitebaiter managed to pull the man from the water only. The girl, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was swept away.

Police said a search of the river mouth was conducted at low tide overnight.

A shoreline search would resume today, and a helicopter would be deployed to access more remote areas.

"However, difficult sea conditions mean a water-based search could not take place at this stage."

The MetService yesterday warned of heavy swells and king tides for the West Coast overnight and into today.

It predicted 5m-6m waves offshore and winds of 65kmh. The southwest swells were expected to ease to 3m by tonight.

On Thursday, police search and rescue, Kotuku Surf Rescue, Land Search and Rescue and the NZCC West Coast Rescue Helicopter were all on the scene scouring a 2km search area from the river mouth to the sewage ponds at Two Mile, on the northern outskirts of town.
 
A searcher said the girl was wearing adult-sized gumboots and no lifejacket when she was swept into the water. Her grandfather was in waders and also got into trouble as he attempted to help her.

 

Senior Sergeant Brent Cook said the girl had been out whitebaiting with "an elderly man" at the time.

Stuff reported that two of the surf rescue team had to swim to shore after their inflatable boat flipped over.

The initial aerial search for the girl was suspended about 10.45am, and resumed about 12.15pm when the rescue helicopter was put back in the air with a police spotter on board.

NZCC West Coast Rescue Helicopter base manager Angus Taylor said afterwards that both the sea and weather conditions were "very rough" and made it difficult to see anyone in the water.

With a strong southwesterly blowing, there was "a very strong northerly drift" moving anything in the water northwards quickly.

"It was breaking water for a long way offshore."

The helicopter spent about an hour combing the sea, as far north as the Arahura River mouth, before turning back.

Some items of clothing and a wader had been recovered by the time the aerial search was suspended.

- By Brendon McMahon and ODT Online