Children die in beach tragedy

By ANGELA GREGORY

KAEO - Two young children died yesterday at the start of an Otara family's camping holiday in the Far North.

Gerard Ropiha, aged 6, and Rebecca Ropiha, 3, were found dead at remote Mahinepua Bay, 12km northeast of Whangaroa.

The two disappeared after playing in a tent while their parents were setting up camp and preparing lunch.

The children's grandfather, Witi Ropiha, said the tragedy was "one of those things that just shouldn't have happened."

Mr Ropiha, a local kaumatua, said he would place a day-long tapu on the bay today.

The family were planning to camp as they did last year on a Maori reserve at the southern end of the bay with three other families.

Instead, Mr Ropiha said, they would pack up and return to Auckland for a double funeral.

Gerard's body was discovered by his older brother at the water's edge.

About 90 minutes later, a fisherman returning to the bay brought in Rebecca's body, after finding her floating out to sea on the tide.

Local people had been using snorkelling gear and kayaks to search the bay.

Registered nurse Sian Rhodes, who lives at Mahinepua, said it was a "true accident."

"It was a gorgeous day, flat-calm water, and everyone was close by."

Mrs Rhodes said that the rural delivery mailman arrived at her home just before 2 pm, asking that someone ring emergency services.

"I left him there with my daughter and just dashed down with my kit, but the boy had already been in the water half an hour."

Mrs Rhodes said Gerard was fully dressed and might have gone into the water to rescue his little sister. "It's a devastating tragedy."

Maori camped in the area every summer, and the scene on the beach yesterday was one of trauma and distress.

The chief executive of WaterSafe Auckland, Sandy Harrop, said that small children were never safe near water unless parents were watching them.

She also warned of the dangers of outgoing tides, saying the water could deepen quite abruptly as the sea floor sloped away.