River boarding company pleads guilty to two charges

Adventure tourism company Mad Dog River Boarding today pleaded guilty to two charges following the death of an English tourist last year.

Emily Jordan, 21, drowned while river boarding in the Kawarau River Gorge in April last year.

She was trapped under a rock underwater for 20 minutes while her boyfriend watched from the riverbank.

The company and its director Brad McLeod were facing three charges each of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of their customers, employees and other clients , brought under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Three charges against McLeod and one against the company were today dropped, and the company pleaded guilty to the remaining two charges.

Sentencing will take place this afternoon.

The court was told last week that Mad Dog guides carried no ropes and the company's safety plan was not up to industry standards.

Guides from another river boarding company retrieved Ms Jordan's body within minutes, using rescue ropes.

- NZPA