Man disputes beach flags claim

By ANNE BESTON

A man who lost his friend in a drowning accident eight years ago disputes a claim by Surf Lifesaving New Zealand that no one has died swimming between the flags.

Matthew Musson, aged 27, was at Bethells Beach on the Auckland west coast in January 1993 when his friend Jamie Smith was swept to his death.

A rip pulled up to 15 people into deep water and lifeguards struggled in huge seas to reach swimmers.

The lifeguards were hampered by the theft of some rescue gear a fortnight before.

Mr Musson is adamant that his friend and a companion who tried to help him, Tekake William, were swimming between the flags.

"We were there and saw it. He was definitely between the flags. My hand was in a cast that day or I would have been right there with him."

A report of the day's events was published on the front page of the Herald on January 18, 1993.

This month, the Herald reported lifeguards saying that too many swimmers were risking their lives by swimming outside patrolled areas.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand stands by its claim that no one has drowned between the flags.

Chief executive John Thomas said Mr Smith was probably swept away from the patrolled area.

"People say these things at a later date but he was probably washed out of the flagged area. According to our records, no one has ever died swimming between the flags."

Mr Thomas said he was not familiar with the 1993 incident at Bethells Beach.