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Seven people were taken to hospital with moderate to serious injuries after an adventure jetboat hit a rock, flipped and sank in the Manawatu Gorge yesterday afternoon.
Witnesses said it was a miracle no one was killed as the Christmas treat for workers from a local joinery firm turned to disaster.
Hiwinui Jet driver James Stewart and his six passengers were hurled into the water when the boat's steering apparently seized and the boat hit the rock. The group clambered to the safety of a small beach at the side of the river as the jetboat sank.
Emergency services were alerted after one of the passengers clambered up the steep walls of the gorge, between Palmerston North and Woodville.
"Everybody had some sort of injury - cut face, cut leg, some internal injuries," said police sergeant Andy Brooke.
There was no room for a helicopter to land next to the injured, so rescuers lowered ropes and stretchers down a 20m cliff from a narrow ledge.
Stewart, 33, suffered concussion and a suspected broken leg. One passenger had an injured back and the others suffered minor injuries and bruising. All seven were taken to Palmerston North Hospital.
The boat, operated from Hiwinui, is the only one certified to take tours on the river and had been serviced on Thursday. Stewart has been taking tours for three years and the accident came on his third trip of the day.
He was due to take another four groups later in the afternoon but his brother Tim said he was unlikely to get back in a boat. "He is just devastated, really cut up. It is just really luck no one was killed."
Tim Stewart criticised elements of the rescue. He said what should have taken no more than an hour took almost four times that as emergency services argued over rescue methods. The helicopter didn't have a winch operator and police wouldn't let another boat operator pick up the injured because he wasn't certified, he said.
The passengers were from Feilding company Riley's Joinery. Andrew Riley, who paid for the trip as a Christmas gift to his staff, also criticised some aspects of the rescue.
The Fire Service and ambulance staff were "brilliant", he said, but police showed a serious lack of understanding. "It was an absolute debacle. They were recklessly putting people's lives at risk."
Inspector Mike Coleman at police central communications in Wellington said last night he was unaware of any issues about the time it took to rescue those in the jetboat.
Police were involved peripherally, helping ambulance and Search and Rescue staff.
Fire crews from Ashhurst and Woodville joined police and Civil Defence staff from Palmerston North at the scene.
The commercial jetboat operation started in the gorge in 2004, according to the company's website. "Hiwinui Jet exceeds all maritime safety requirements and is a member of the NZCJBA [New Zealand Commercial Jet Boat Association] and the New Zealand Tourist Industry Association," the website says.
A Maritime New Zealand spokeswoman said last night an investigation had yet to be launched.
In February last year two staff from Horizons Regional Council were injured when their jetboat hit a submerged object in the Rangitikei River.
