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Up to 20 heroic rescuers held a stricken 8-year-old boy’s head inches above rushing water after he was swept over a waterfall and trapped by rocks beneath a Central Otago river.
Fighting for breath and fearing that he would not survive, Mackay Blaikie told those trying to save his life, “Please tell mum and dad, I love them”.
The dramatic rescue effort played out in Wānaka last week and Mackay’s mother has described the group as “absolutely heroes”.
Mackay was holidaying with his family but was on a day trip with friends when he slipped into a fast-moving river at Minaret Burn, near Cattle Flat, which swept him over a waterfall where he became wedged in rock with his face inches above the river while water cascaded over him.
His mother, Tara Blaikie, is now appealing on social media to find and thank those who helped save her son’s life.
On Wednesday last week, Mackay had been exploring the upper river at Minaret Burn with his friends, twins Ollie and Freddie Wellington, both 8, when he and Ollie became caught in a strong current and were swept over a waterfall.
While Ollie and Mackay were both initially trapped, Ollie managed to free himself before making his way back to Mackay, though the strong current kept pushing him back.
Twins Ollie and Freddie Wellington, 8, and Mackay Blaikie, 8. Photo / Supplied - Tara Blaikie
Freddie ran to the camp for help, quickly coming across their father Mike Wellington already heading in their direction to check on them. Mackay had been in the water for an estimated four minutes.
Wading into the river against the relentless current, Wellington reached Mackay, discovering that the boy’s leg and waist were wedged between rocks beneath the water.
With immense effort, Wellington managed to lift Mackay slightly, providing him with a crucial inch or so above the water.
Wellington braced himself against a rock, holding Mackay in a rugby tackle, and cupping his hands around the boy’s nose and mouth.
Mackay had been wearing a life jacket while exploring the river, which Wellington had to remove as it was rising around the boy’s face and airways.
“For about 10 minutes, I was alone with Mackay, constantly reassuring him. On two or three occasions, I was unable to keep my footing because the river was very slippery... I was just unable to always be able to hold Mackay up because I was being washed away with the constant pressure of the water,” Wellington said.
Simon Byrne, a friend of Wellington, arrived at the scene and entered the water to assist, relieving the pressure on Wellington.
“When Simon and I were with Mackay, he said to us, ‘I love my mum and dad... Please tell mum and dad, I love them’. That’s been a tough one to swallow, knowing that the wee chip was battling like that.”
With the pair screaming for help, a group of 10 teenage girls arrived but could not fight the current to reach the pair.
Rumbling Burn, near where Mackey Blaikie's life was saved at the weekend. Photo / George Heard
The arrival of Simon Gould, along with his wife and another friend, provided additional support, but the group struggled against the powerful current.
“It was only at that point that I thought, ‘Right, we are going to survive this’. But we’ve just got to work out how to get him out,” said Wellington.
Four more people arrived, including Auckland man Ben Main, a creative director for Les Mills, who was in the area with his partner, Greta Darroch, and her family.
While Main leapt to action in the water, Darroch ran along the beach desperately searching for a phone signal to call for help.
With the aid of another person on a boat, Darroch was taken to a part of the lake with phone reception where she was able to call emergency services.
Main said when he reached Mackay and the group, he noticed the boy was turning purple. Main dived beneath the surface and pinched the boy’s legs, which Mackay said he couldn’t feel.
“That was a sign that we needed to get him out as quickly as possible,” he said.
With Wellington reaching exhaustion, the rest of the group took his position and he made his way to the shore where he was then able to give directions to the group.
Mackay Blaikie, 8, with twins Ollie and Freddie Wellington, both 8. Photo / Tara Blaikie
Wellington directed the group of girls to the pool above the waterfall, where they formed a human chain to reduce the water flow. With the pressure alleviated, Main went underwater, pushing and twisting Mackay to dislodge him from the rocks.
Main said he used his hands to feel how Mackay was stuck and told the others how to twist and push him out of the rocks.
With two people on each arm and Main below the water, the group managed to push Mackay free.
Wellington said the joy he felt at that moment was overwhelming.
“Seeing that kid come out alive, that was unbelievable. I’ve never experienced something like that ever in my life.”
Main and another rescuer took turns carrying Mackay from the river back to the camp, while the group directed them where to step.
“I was so cold myself, my whole body was cramping as I was trying to walk and carry him down over boulders and big rocks - my feet were just like, absolutely nailed.”
Mackay’s mother, Tara Blaikie, said Wellington and the rest of the group were absolute heroes for rescuing her son.
“Everyone that I’ve spoken to, that my husband has spoken to, they told us how it was so touch and go and they just can’t believe it. It was a miracle that they got him out and we’re just so grateful and thankful.”
Rumbling Gorge, near Cattle Flat, where Mackay Blaikie was rescued. Photo / George Heard
Blaikie has since been trying to identify more of the rescuers through social media to thank them for their role in saving Mackay.
She said the courage Mackay had shown throughout and following the ordeal was incredible.
“That kid, we’ve always known he’s special, that he’s something else. He’s just amazing. The great thing about him was that he was ready to go straight back into the water, water-skiing, wakeboarding, just doing manus... Despite the trauma that he went through, he’s able to move on.”
She said Mackay had been happy and energetic since the incident, but was not keen to talk or answer questions about what happened.
“One of the things that he said to his sister after, was, “When it was just me and Ollie I was really scared, but as soon as Mike arrived, I just felt calm... Mike was with me, and he made me feel calm, and then when everyone else started arriving, I started to feel really safe’.”
Blaikie said since the incident, her outlook on life had taken a positive stride.
“You’ve got to love every day as though it’s your last... Just embrace everything, embrace, embrace, just cuddle those closest to you and love unconditionally... These things sort of make you reassess things, and put things into a different perspective.”
Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin
