Cyclone Gabrielle: ‘Nothing prepares you’ for dead bodies, searcher says

A Dunedin rescuer who has been scouring waterways for Cyclone Gabrielle victims says nothing can prepare you for finding a dead body.

Otago/Southland Surf Life Saving club development officer Brent Matehaere, who had found bodies in previous rescue operations, said he felt for rescue teams coming across bodies as the search for missing cyclone victims continued.

A surf lifesaving SAR team out on the Ngaruroro River in Hawke's Bay looking for bodies. Photo / George Heard

“In reality, nothing prepares you [for] what you’re going to find and what you’re going to see,” he said.

Matehaere, who is also the coach of the Otago Nuggets basketball team, flew up to Napier late last week alongside other Otago surf life-saving search and rescue (SAR) team members to provide relief to worn-out locals.

He was co-ordinating SAR teams, methodically ticking off rivers in the area in the search for at least 10 people who police held “grave concerns” for.

Otago surf lifesaver and basketball coach Brent Matehaere has been with search and recovery efforts in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Peter McIntosh, ODT

Matehaere said it was important work, despite their task being grim.

“Going into it, you’re just aiming to get a result for the families. And that’s your focus: to allow closure for them.”

There was support in place for search and rescue teams.

“When people need to stop and talk, we have those opportunities to do that,” he said.

He praised the work of locals, who were dealing with incredibly difficult conditions, including navigating boats past downed power lines.

“The whole crew ... did a fantastic job of reacting to the situation and putting themselves out there to save lives,” he said.

The local SAR teams had found themselves fatigued from spending a lot of time on the water over six days.

Fatigue could result in accidents if they were not given a break.

Once off the water, the Hawke’s Bay SAR team was valuable to the Otago life-savers because of its knowledge of the area, Matehaere said.

Search and rescue boats out checking the coastline along Ahuriri, Napier. Photo / Clive Holland

While local groups continued to scour the coastline, the Otago team was focused on the remaining areas of river not yet searched.

The team had resumed scouring Tūtaekurī River — where there were still slash piles left to search — after concerns about hazardous gas had been resolved.

There was still search and rescue work to be done on the Esk River.

Being part of the response gave him a perspective about what was truly important.

“He aha te mea nui o te. He tāngata, He tāngata, He tāngata [What is the most important thing in the world? It is people].”

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