Student dies after slipping on river rocks

A Dunedin student drowned in a river near Wanaka after slipping on rocks and falling into fast flowing water.

Anna Mary Ryan, 17, slipped and fell into a chute of fast flowing water in the Motatapu River about 3.30pm yesterday.

She was trapped under the water, Sergeant Aaron Nicholson of Wanaka police said.

Two male companions tried to rescue their trapped friend and also slipped and fell into the same current, spending some time under the water. The two male companions were pulled out of the rapid by other friends.

Ms Ryan could not be seen and was under water for some time before being located downstream, Mr Nicholson said.

Her friends took her to the shore and started resuscitation attempts. Ambulance staff arrived about 20 minutes later but Ms Ryan could not be resuscitated.

She was among a group of nine teenagers holidaying in Wanaka for a week before going back to university in Dunedin.

The group had decided to go swimming in the Motatapu River at a popular swimming spot near the Motatapu Gorge, Mr Nicholson said.

They had swum their way up and past the Motatapu Bridge in the gorge, and had decided to turn back because the river was too rough and dangerous to continue when Ms Ryan slipped.

Her death had been referred to the coroner.

Mr Nicholson said he wanted to remind users of the area that the gorge was not a benign stretch of water and had several natural hazards, so care was needed.

He was not aware of any other fatalities in the area but people had hurt themselves in the past when jumping off cliffs into the gorge.

- NZPA