Far North tourism company on trial over Te Paki sand dune death

The dunes at Te Paki are a popular location for sandboarding. Photo / File

A Far North tourism company is standing trial under health and safety legislation after a Korean man died sandboarding at Te Paki Stream in the Far North in 2019.

Sand Safaris 2014 Limited is on trial in the Kaitaia District Court before Judge Philip Rzepecky on a charge laid by Worksafe New Zealand.

The charge comes after South Korean tourist Jin Chang Oh, 68, died when he was allegedly hit by a tour bus while sandboarding at Te Paki dunes on February 4, 2019.

His death was witnessed by a large group of people, including his wife, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. The family had been planning to return to South Korea in the following days.

Police Inspector Wayne Ewers said at the time it appeared neither he nor the bus driver saw each other.

The driver of the bus was badly shaken but not injured, Ewers said.

Prosecutor Rachael Woods said the company faced a charge of exposing an individual to harm or illness.

She said the company had inadequate and inappropriate safety measures in place given the risks of sandboarding at the dunes.

Woods said this was a real risk and the company would have been aware of it after a boy was hit by a vehicle on the dunes two years earlier.

The company has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The trial is set down to last four days. Mr Oh’s son, Sang Kyun Oh, has travelled from Korea for the trial.