A local councillor says she’s heartbroken for the families after the death of the young person and has reiterated the importance of sticking to paths in the area.
Police said the two people were both aged under 18.
Thames-Coromandel District councillor for Mercury Bay, Deli Connell, said people really needed to have a think about why the two involved in the incident were out in that environment.
“Thousands of people had safely traversed that track. I don’t know what these guys were up to. You can’t fence everything off, let’s keep the element of risk but keep people as safe as possible,” Connell said.
“You come to the Coromandel for adventure but you have to think about what you are doing, it’s a wild environment. Look at the number of muppets not swimming between the flags at Hot Water Beach.
“I am just heartbroken for the families and first responders. It was a tragic outcome.”
The northern end of Hāhei Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula, where the tragedy happened. Photo / Al Williams
Connell said to her knowledge, Cathedral Cove had been very busy following its reopening in December.
“If you stick to the paths you are fine, it’s a bit like sticking to the speed limits on the road or taking note of warnings at the beach.”
Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt said details of the incident were still coming in and there would be an investigation into the circumstances behind what happened.
“Our hearts go out to the families and the loved ones of the young person who lost their life ... it’s heartbreaking to happen at any time of the year, certainly at this time.”
“We understand it was the north end of Hāhei in a cliff area, I’m still waiting for a full briefing,” says Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt. Photo / Al Williams
Further details about exactly what happened would come from the police or St John, Salt said.
“We understand it was the north end of Hāhei in a cliff area, I’m still waiting for a full briefing.”
On Sunday, the Department of Conservation said the track in Hāhei was not a Department of Conservation (DoC) track.
“That area there has a mix of DoC land, there’s some council responsibility for some of the beachfront area and there’s a lot of private land which is above those tracks as well, and there’s a number of walking tracks and beach access areas as well down there.
“It’s a tricky area, we always encourage people to stay to the tracks to make sure that, especially after dark, that they take extra care.”
Asked whether there was appropriate signage in the area, Salt said the council went “to extraordinary lengths” to put up appropriate signs and give guidance to people in tracks and access areas that could be dangerous or might have difficult access, but in this case the details were not available.
The local community was upset after the fatal incident, he said.
“It’s never easy for communities to manage, but in this case where you’ve got a young person who’s lost a life in a holiday community, an area where people go to enjoy their summer, it has an effect, there’s no doubt about it.”
