Probe helps family deal with tragedy

The family of Private Michael Victor Ross will never understand why he was taken from them in the prime of his life, but the investigation into the 29-year-old soldier's death has provided some answers.

His uncle, Kaitaia businessman Jack Rogers, said the full post-mortem report had yet to be seen, but he believed his nephew had died as the result of a blow to his head from his own rifle as he fell from the inflatable boat on Lake Moawhango, near Waiouru, on the afternoon of September 25.

Private Ross, who could swim, was known to have been thrown from the boat in choppy conditions, but there had been no explanation for his failing to inflate his life jacket.

Mr Rogers said it appeared the blow from the firearm had knocked him unconscious.

"He knew nothing. He was unconscious when he went into the water," he said.

"By the time the boat turned around and his mates started looking for him he was slowly sinking. His friends went into the water but couldn't reach him, and he then disappeared."

A tragedy for Private Ross' family, the freak accident had been horrific for his colleagues, Mr Rogers added. One, who had tried to retrieve him, had been on the verge of hysteria.

Private Ross' body was found, initially by sonar, in 45 metres of water and some 45 metres from where he was thrown from the boat, almost exactly one week later to the hour. Sonar had detected something on the bottom of the lake some time earlier, searchers marking it as a point of interest. It was the final 'point of interest' to be examined again, and this time the body was found, partially concealed by a ledge.

The cold water had preserved the body, Mr Rogers said, which meant that his nephew could be farewelled at Te Paatu Marae with an open casket.

"We are very, very grateful for that. That is a real blessing for our family," he said.

Despite its loss the family had much to be grateful for, he said, not least the support received from the Army and the Ngati Rangi people of Waiouru.

From the moment the search began the Army had been totally open, its commitment to finding Private Ross total.