Jump into cold river killed man - coroner

The shock of hitting cold water caused a young man who jumped into a river to die of a heart attack, the Nelson Coroner has ruled.

Christopher Elliot, 20, died on November 28 last year after jumping from an 18m cliff into the Roding River in the Aniseed Valley.

He landed awkwardly in the water at the popular recreational spot Busch Reserve, 24km southwest of Nelson.

In evidence read to the court, Jacob Barclay said he, another friend and Mr Elliot drank two dozen beers before arriving at the river.

Mr Elliot had seen his friends leap into the river before jumping himself.

"He came up straight away and looked sweet as," Mr Barclay said.

He said he looked away and when he looked back, Mr Elliot had gone under.

The friends pulled him out and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived.

Coroner Ian Smith said yesterday the post mortem examination showed the shock of rapid submersion into the Roding's cold water caused Mr Elliot's heart to stop.

While the river temperature was 17 degrees, this was cold enough to cause the heart attack, Mr Smith said.

"That coupled with the fact he was drunk, the sudden shock to the body has put him into cardiac-arrest," he said.

He said Mr Elliot had not drowned and this kind of death was "unusual".

Mr Smith assured Mr Elliot's mother her son would not have suffered as death would have been instantaneous.

A fence had been erected by landowners at the site following the death, Mr Smith said. "Everybody took responsible steps the whole way through," he said.

Mr Elliot's mother told the court she hoped her son's death would not be in vain, but said realistically there was no way to prevent others from jumping.

"They will keep jumping, there is only so much we can do," she said.

- nzpa