British tramper died 200m from safety of farmhouse

Robert Atkin

British tramper Robert Atkin was just 200m from a farmhouse and safety when he fell more than 50m to his death.

Police believe it was the relief of seeing the lights of the farmhouse that led the 26-year-old to take the fatal step that cost him his life.

His body was airlifted out of the Kauaeranga Valley, east of Thames, yesterday morning.

Two searchers found him submerged with just his feet protruding from the water at the base of a waterfall around 10am.

Police believe Mr Atkin died on Thursday evening or early Friday morning.

An experienced tramper, he went missing during on a six-hour hike on Wednesday last week. He had little food and was only lightly clad.

The discovery came the day after a decision to scale back the search involving 100 volunteer and police searchers and Iroquois helicopters.

Sergeant Steve Hayman of Hamilton said it was likely Mr Atkin had seen lights from a nearby farm before the fatal fall.

"He was very close, he would have seen the farm, he would have seen the buildings on the farm."

It is believed he had been following a stream which is a tributary of the Rangihau River, without realising that a 50m drop was just ahead.

"He might have seen the light and thought 'jeez, I am nearly there', perhaps heard the vehicles. It looks like he slipped."

Mr Hayman said it was almost certain Mr Atkin died on impact.

"He had done everything right, he just took one wrong step. It's dense bush, but he might not have seen where he was going. He may have just walked straight off the edge."

Search manager for Hamilton Search and Rescue Barry Were said two local search members, one who used to work at the farm, decided to search the area where the body was found.

"It was an area that had been searched, these guys had been in the area hunting and they knew searchers wouldn't have searched by the waterfall."

The waterfall was around 500m from the Rangihau River. Mr Were said Mr Atkin was found around 10km from where he was first dropped off.

"It appeared that he followed a track and got lost. His intention would have been to follow a stream, and eventually he would come out somewhere."

Mr Atkin had been in New Zealand for only three weeks on a one-year tourist visa. He was travelling with his girlfriend who had dropped him off at the Kauaeranga Valley Department of Conservation office last Wednesday.

Mr Atkin's parents are on their way to New Zealand from England and are expected to arrive today.