Visitor dived into falls twice in bid to save man

Mangaldeep Varadachary says it is 'a duty of every human being' to help out others. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A 27-year-old man who dived into a strong undertow to save a drowning man at Owharoa Falls at the weekend even though he wasn't a strong swimmer is being called a hero.

Police say Mangaldeep Varadachary deserves to be acknowledged after bravely jumping back into the waterfall at about 12.20pm on Sunday to try to save 28-year-old Ram Prasad Bade. Mr Bade was pulled under by the current when he tried to take a photo of the waterfall near Karangahake Gorge and drowned.

Mr Varadachary, who is from India but has been living in Auckland for 15 months, and his friends had just parked their car so they could take a photo of the waterfall when a woman came running up to them looking for help. She said a person was drowning and they needed help.

The part-time sales assistant and his friend Rohan Keseshvan ran down to the waterfall and dived into the water, but as they swam closer to the waterfall they began to be pulled under.

They returned to the bank where about 20 people - including Mr Bade's friends - were watching.

"My only thought at that point of time was we had a good chance of getting him out alive," Mr Varadachary said.

As he was sitting on the bank working out how to rescue him, Thames-based constable Brian Connors arrived at the scene and took control of the situation.

Using rope provided by a passing motorist, Mr Connors threaded it through Mr Varadachary's belt loops and he dived under again.

He spotted Mr Bade near the bottom of the falls and grabbed hold of his leg. He then tugged on the rope as organised with Mr Connors and nearby resident Carl Davis dragged the two men to land.

As they were dragging him back, Mr Varadachary thought he was still alive.

"My instincts were telling me he had a little bit of life left in him."

He pushed on Mr Bade's stomach to try to get water out before St John paramedics spent about 30 minutes unsuccessfully trying to revive him.

Mr Connors said Mr Varadachary deserved recognition for bravery.

"He was stressed because he wanted to help and didn't want to die ... He would have been shit-scared, he said to me, 'I'm not a strong swimmer'."

Mr Connors said the two friends did the right thing by backing off when they realised the undertow was too strong and said he only went back in with the reassurance of the rope around him.

But Mr Varadachary brushed off suggestions he was a hero. "No actually it's a duty of every human being ... everyone at the falls trying to help him out was a hero."

Mr Davis, who had been mountain biking with his two children by the falls when he was told people needed help, was also praised. He said he "did nothing really" even though police said he played a key role in the recovery attempt.

Meanwhile, Mr Bade's body was yesterday flown back to India to be farewelled by his family thanks to a generous act of kindness by an Auckland superette owner.

Munchy Mart owner Aniz Bhamji is paying to send Mr Bade's body back to Hyderabad in India to be with his family, as well as covering the cost of shipping his personal belongings and paying the airfare for one of Mr Bade's friends to accompany him.

South Auckland funeral director Ese Tatupu said the business owner's generous donation deserved to be acknowledged.

"This guy is a blessing in disguise and a real good example of humanity."

Mr Tatupu said it was the first time in his career as a funeral director he had come across someone so humble.