Soldier dies in river rafting accident

A soldier died during a white water rafting activity on the Rangitikei River near Taihape yesterday.

Staff Sergeant Andy Warren died while taking part in the activity with 32 soldiers who were on a Waiouru-based two-month leadership development course.

Army public relations manager Major Denise Mackay said the activity had been controlled by the Taihape-based rafting company River Valley.

Just after 4pm the raft Staff Sgt Warren was travelling in, piloted by a River Valley guide, hit a rock in powerful rapids, flinging five of the seven occupants into the river.

Staff Sgt Warren was discovered missing after the raft was recovered. His body was removed from the river later in the evening.

An army court of inquiry to investigate the incident was expected to be initiated on Monday, while the future of the course, which had been due to run to November 5, would be assessed during the weekend, Maj Mackay said.

Funeral arrangements would be made in conjunction with the wishes of Staff Sgt Warren's family.

"If their wishes are for Staff Sgt Warren to be given a military funeral then I'm sure the army will be taking part in that."

The leadership development course was designed to assist a soldier's promotional advancement to the rank of Warrant Officer and began on 5 September, she said.

The army had used River Valley to conduct white water rafting activities on previous occasions.

Staff Sgt Warren, 44, was most recently based at Linton Military Camp at the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

He was a well-known and respected soldier within the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Maj Mackay said.

He enlisted into the Regular Force of the NZ Army in 1980 as a Rifleman.

Between 1980 and 1989 he completed three overseas postings to Singapore.

He served on operational tours of duty in Bougainville and East Timor and was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1995, marking 15 years of upstanding military service.

Staff Sgt Warren was a keen weapons collector and military historian. He was unmarried and had no children.

Taihape police Sergeant Les Clarke said four rafts had been in the river when the incident happened in a rapid known as the picket, which is about 30km east of Taihape, in the Pukeokahu Gorge.

- NZPA