KEY POINTS:
Soaking wet, bitterly cold and out of food, a couple tramping in the Kahurangi National Park last January made a fateful decision to try to swim across the rain-swollen Karamea River.
Lyttelton woman Annmarie Lee, 39, was swept away from her husband, Chris, 41, and drowned. Her body was found the next day about a kilometre from where they tried to cross the river.
The tragedy has resulted in several recommendations from Christchurch Coroner Sue Johnson after an inquest held in chambers.
Intending to fish the Karamea River, Mr and Mrs Lee stayed at the Karamea Bend Hut on Sunday January 6 after tramping in from the Flora carpark a day earlier.
On Monday, they decided to spend the day fishing, leaving their packs and most of their equipment at the hut and taking daypacks with light clothing and some bread and salami for lunch.
It rained heavily while the couple was fishing and, with water levels rising, they decided to stay on the west side of the river. Soaking wet and very cold, they made a bivouac and camped the night.
About 2.30pm on Tuesday January 8, the Lees decided to recross the river to get back to the Karamea Bend Hut. They'd already spent some hours walking up and down the river discussing whether or not to attempt a crossing.
They took off their boots and jackets and attempted to swim across. Mr Lee swam behind his wife to look after her, but she was swept away by the force of the river.
Mr Lee reached the other side and tried to find his wife, eventually running back to the hut to see if she'd made it out. When he failed to find her, he used another tramper's emergency locator beacon to alert search and rescue authorities.
Mrs Lee's body was found the next day.
Ms Johnson found that Mrs Lee died of accidental drowning.
She said accepted advice on river crossings cautioned against attempting to cross when rivers were swollen until the flow subsided enough for people to walk across, linking arms to avoid falling.
But a statement from Mr Lee showed the couple decided to swim because they had no idea how long they would have to stay in the open, it was still raining and they didn't know whether it would get worse, they had no food left and they were soaking wet and cold.
Mrs Lee was also concerned she wouldn't be strong enough to make a crossing if she had to spend more nights outside without food and they were both concerned that they wouldn't be missed until the date they'd written in the intentions book at the Flora car park.
"Mr and Mrs Lee did not know at the time how many more nights they would have to spend in the open, wet cold and without food," the coroner said.
With "the benefit of hindsight" she said she was making a number of recommendations which could have alleviated some of the circumstances Mr and Mrs Lee were in when they made their decision to swim across the river.
"I particularly draw these to the attention of people taking a side trip who leave the bulk of their food and equipment in a hut," Ms Johnson said.
She urged trampers to take distress beacons with them, even on side trips. They were light to carry and could be bought or rented.
Extra food should be carried - enough for a few days to allow for unforeseen delays.
Ms Johnson also recommended trampers carry a survival blanket, waterproof clothing and spare warm clothing.
- NZPA
