Gareth Pearson died in a boating tragedy at the Catlins. Photo / Supplied
Gareth Pearson died in a boating tragedy at the Catlins. Photo / Supplied
A man who died in a boating tragedy in the Catlins has been identified as Gareth Pearson.
His grieving partner Jenny Lohrman described him as a man with “a big personality that will be missed by many”.
Pearson died while another man, whom the Herald understands to be his brother-in-law, was rescued after their boat overturned crossing the Catlins River bar yesterday morning.
Police confirmed yesterday afternoon that they had recovered a body following the boating mishap.
“Letting everyone know that Gareth passed away yesterday in a boating accident in his beloved Catlins Coast in New Zealand,” Lohrman wrote.
A friend, Gail Watson, wrote that she knew Pearson from the 1990s.
“We have some special trees he gave us as seedlings,” she said.
“I drove past them this morning on the way out and thought of him.”
Gareth Pearson has died in a boating tragedy. Photo / Supplied
Boats return along the Catlins River today after a vessel overturned with one person missing and another rescued and taken to hospital. Photo / Ester Johnson, Surat Bay Lodge
Police received reports of the capsized vessel near Jacks Bay in South Otago about 10.40am yesterday, sparking a rescue mission amid rough conditions.
The man who was with Pearson was spotted on some rocks nearby and later taken by rescue helicopter to Dunedin Hospital in moderate condition.
A helicopter assisted with an aerial search for the missing man, while Coastguard Bluff and Coastguard Dunedin volunteers and rescue vessels assisted in searching the water.
Pearson’s body was found on a nearby beach.
Searchers also located a second person on some rocks nearby, along with a dog.
Surat Bay Lodge co-owner Ester Johnson said yesterday she could see, using binoculars, the boat overturned near the river bar, about 2km from Pounawea.