Campervan deaths due to 'tragic' events - coroner

Flowers left at the section of road where Canadian tourists Connor Hayes and Joanna Lam were swept off. Photo / Christine Cornege

The tragic deaths of two Canadian tourists whose campervan was swept away in a slip has led a coroner to make a raft of recommendations to transport authorities.

Connor Hayes, 25, and Joanna Lam, 24, both from Canada, were last seen alive in the Haast township on the evening of September 10, 2013.

They were on their way to Wanaka when they were swept to their deaths in one of the slips brought down at Diana Falls, on the steep uphill section of the Haast Pass on State Highway 6.

The campervan they were travelling in was likely hit by an avalanche of rocks, trees and other debris, which swept it off the road and into the Haast River below, Coroner David Crerar said in his findings released today.

Coroner Crerar found that on September 10, 2013 the pair arrived at the Haast Motor Camp in a white Volkswagen campervan they had hired.

They had a meal before deciding to continue on towards Wanaka, along the Haast Pass.

The pair had already travelled past the point where a road closure sign was later put in place.

The next morning a large slip was found to have completely blocked the road on Haast Pass.

When Ms Lam failed to arrive at work, a search was carried out and the remains of the pair's campervan was found in the Haast River.

Ms Lam's body was recovered about 5km north of the Haast River mouth, but Mr Hayes' body was never found.

Ms Lam was found to have died from high energy impact injuries to her chest, head, spine and limbs, Coroner Crerar said in his findings.

He found Mr Hayes would likely have died from similar causes.

Following the accident, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) carried out its own report.

Coroner Crerar said NZTA's report concluded that although communications in the area were troublesome, the closure of the road that night occurred in an "orderly manner".

"There is no evidence of the failure by any individual or agency to perform its or their necessary duties or accept the appropriate responsibilities.

"There can be no suggestion that Joanna Lam or Connor Hayes were irresponsible," Coroner Crerar said.

He recommended NZTA continued with infrastructure improvements for communication on SH6.

Since the accident, NZTA had installed radio repeater stations along the Diana Falls slip, to ensure it was monitored properly at all times.

Coroner Crerar also recommended a signage board be installed and maintained, to keep travellers along SH6 updated on road and travel conditions.

He also recommended barriers be installed at the exit and entrance points of SH6 and for NZTA to provide more pamphlet and web advice to tourist drivers visiting New Zealand.

NZTA had already made progress in terms of specific recommendations.

Highways and network operations manager Tommy Parker said the agency's focus throughout the process of the inquest was to ensure all circumstances were fully investigated, and that any measures which could improve safety be put in place.

"The Transport Agency commissioned an independent review for this purpose, and the coroner has made reference to the review's findings with his recommendations," he said.

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Timeline of events:

* September 8, 2013: Connor Hayes, 25, and Joanna Lam, 24, both from Canada, hire a white Volkswagen campervan in Nelson and travel towards Wanaka.

* September 10: The pair stop in at Haast Motor Camp to inquire about accommodation, before deciding to continue travelling towards Wanaka along the Haast Pass.

* September 11: A large slip was found to have occurred in a storm the night before, and debris from the slip had fallen into the Haast River.

* September 17: Ms Lam is reported missing when she fails to show up for work, and the pair's campervan is found in the Haast River.

* September 20: Ms Lam's body is found 6km north of the Haast River mouth. Mr Hayes body has never been found.