Coroner rules Mount Maunganui man Kerry Huggard’s death at beach accidental drowning

The Mount Maunganui beach section where Tauranga man Kerry Huggard drowned in February. Photo / Alex Cairns

Roaming lifeguards warning Mount Maunganui beachgoers it was too dangerous to swim “just missed” a recent retiree by minutes before he entered the water, a surf lifesaver says.

Former drain layer Kerry Huggard’s decision to swim that summer afternoon would prove fatal.

A coroner has now ruled the Tauranga 64-year-old died from an accidental drowning at Mount Maunganui on February 3.

Huggard died three months after Tauranga father Reon Wikeepa drowned further down the beach at Moturiki (Leisure Island) while trying to help his daughter get out of the water.

Coroner Ian Telford’s report said Huggard was in “good physical and mental health” and was known as a “confident” swimmer who swam at his local beach at Mount Maunganui most days.

On the afternoon he died, it was patrol season but no lifeguard red- and yellow-flagged swimming areas were operational because of a water pollution advisory issued that day.

A red flag had been hoisted from the Surf Lifesaving New Zealand clubhouse, signifying to the public it was not safe to enter the water, and an observational patrol was operating, the coroner found.

Waves at the beach were between 0.9-1.4 metres high with a “medium-period swell” and strong currents. There was limited safety signage and limited public rescue equipment in the area.

On the beach opposite 195 Marine Parade, a member of the public walking past saw a man put down his towel and walk into the water.

The bystander started feeling concerned after seeing the man - Huggard - “up to his neck” in the “turbulent” water.

When Huggard “disappeared” from view soon after, the bystander contacted Surf Lifesaving New Zealand.

Lifeguards arrived and quickly found Huggard in the water.

He was brought to shore where waiting ambulance staff started trying to resuscitate him.

Despite extensive efforts, Huggard could not be revived. The attending paramedic formally verified his death at 1.37pm.

Surf Life Saving NZ eastern region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell told the Bay of Plenty Times the club put up the red flag that signified “no swimming” whenever conditions were dangerous.

Surf Life Saving NZ eastern region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell. Photo / Mead Norton

Gibbons-Campbell said when the flag went up on February 3, lifeguards were still on patrol based at Omanu and Tay St. Some had been driving a buggy up and down the beach and telling members of the public it was not safe to swim.

The spot Huggard went swimming was between the two patrolled areas.

“They’d actually been doing roams past that area five minutes before this man went in. It’s just unfortunate that where he went in was right in the middle of these two patrolled locations and the lifeguards obviously just missed him.”

He said people could also check the Safe Swim website before swimming, which showed patrolled locations and whether red flags were up.

Coroner Telford said in his report all the evidence pointed to Huggard “going for his usual swim, unexpectedly getting into difficulty, and drowning”.

He reiterated Surf Lifesaving New Zealand’s safety messages that the public should call 111 if they see someone in trouble in the water, and know their limits - “don’t overestimate your ability in the water”.

“I would add to the above the general importance of following surf lifesavers’ guidance on the day and to swim (particularly when alone) between the lifesaver flags,” Telford said.

In Coroner Telford’s report on Reon Wikeepa’s death, he recommended Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and Tauranga City Council work collaboratively to undertake a coastal risk assessment and agree on an implementation plan, which would identify the locations where signage and rescue equipment would be beneficial to public safety.

Given the recommendations were made in November, he made no similar or further recommendations in Huggard’s case.

The coroner said Huggard’s death highlighted the “vital importance” of water safety and the work being undertaken by Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and the council.

“I again commend this approach to all other New Zealand councils.

Gibbons-Campbell said the organisation was “on track” to produce the coastal risk assessment this month or next, and he had just received the first draft from its safety officer.

“We’re just going through and double-checking all of those at the moment before we present them to the clubs.”

They would next assess where the public rescue equipment and signs should be with Tauranga City Council, he said.

Council spaces and places operations manager Warren Aitken said the council had committed to having signage and flotation devices on Moturiki Island by the end of June, which it was “on track” to achieve.

Aitken said the council was working with Surf Lifesaving New Zealand on a coastal risk assessment along the rest of the Mount-Pāpāmoa coast from Main Beach to Karewa Parade, which would determine an implementation plan and where other signage and flotation devices would be installed.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.