A Far North company that runs tours to sandboard down the dunes at Te Paki has been found guilty of failing to prevent death or serious injury, after Korean tourist Jin Chang Oh died while on a tour the company as running.
Sand Safaris 2014 Ltd appeared in court in December in Kaitaia to defend the charge, laid by WorkSafe, after the tourist died after being run over by a bus while sandboarding down Northland’s Te Paki Stream sand dunes.
Chang Oh, 68, died when he was hit by a tour bus while sandboarding at Te Paki dunes on February 4, 2019. Oh went down the sand dune and at the bottom was struck by the back wheels of a Sand Safaris bus, suffering fatal head injuries.
Oh’s death was witnessed by a large group of people, including his wife, son and daughter-in-law. Jin Chang Oh’s son, Sang Kyun Oh, travelled from Korea for the trial.
In his just-released, reserved decision, Judge Philip Rzepecky has found Sand Safaris 2014 Ltd guilty on the charge, laid under the Health and Safety Act. The company will be in court again on June 2, when a sentencing date will be set.