A fatal cliff fall at Hāhei Beach in Thames-Coromandel involved two young people, police have confirmed.
Emergency services responded to the scene around 8.15pm on Saturday, January 11.
One person was located at the bottom of the cliff face in a critical condition. However, they later died at the scene.
The second person, who was uninjured, was rescued after becoming trapped on the cliff.
A lines rescue team from Fire and Emergency New Zealand was deployed to retrieve the second person.
Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew members were tasked at 8.06pm to head to Hāhei Beach to “assist a patient suffering injuries at the bottom of a cliff and in a critical condition”.
“Transportation to hospital by helicopter was not required and [the] crew returned to base,” a spokeswoman said.
Tim Bright, skipper of the Coromandel tour boat Hāhei Explorer, said he believed the pair must have veered off the track to get close to the cliff edge.
He said the bush near the cliffs was “pretty thick”, so a person walking through it wouldn’t be able to see more than 1-2m ahead.
“Once you get to the cliffs, the rock structure is quite broken and crumbly, so there’s definitely the potential for someone to slip off the edge.
“The cliffs aren’t flat and then a sheer drop – the ground sort of rolls off and gradually curves into a vertical cliff face. Depending on where they went over, the base could either have flat, rocky areas leading to the sea, or it could be a sheer drop, especially closer to Hāhei Beach.”
Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt said his thoughts go out to the family and loved ones of the person who lost their life.
“It’s not something we want to hear about at any time, but it’s particularly sad at the start of the year. We’re thinking of the family during this difficult time.”
He said the area had many walking tracks with steep terrain, and people were always encouraged to be cautious and stick to the marked pathways.
“I don’t know enough about the specific circumstances or exactly where the incident occurred, so it’s premature for me to comment further.”
“I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of our volunteer emergency teams – St John ambulance crews, search and rescue teams, and fire crews – all volunteers here on the Coromandel Peninsula. Our communities are fantastic at supporting and working with these crews.”
Hato Hone St John said it responded to an incident at Hāhei Beach but had no further details and referred inquiries to police.
The death will be referred to the coroner.
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