Human error to blame for rope swing death - coroner

Catherine Peters, a student at Massey University, was killed in a bridge swinging accident in 2009. Photo / Supplied

A coroner has laid blame for the death of a Massey University student killed in a bridge swinging accident in 2009 on the man who failed to check the rope.

Eighteen-year-old Catherine Peters, a first year veterinary science student, fell more than 20 metres from a rope swing after jumping from the Ballance Bridge in the Manawatu Gorge near Woodville.

A coroner's inquest has found that former Crag Adventures director Alastair McWhannell, who was running the activity, was to blame for Ms Peters' death, the Dominion Post reported.

McWhannell was in July last year convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 400 hours of community service and ordered to pay $10,000 to Ms Peters' family for emotional damage after it was found the rope he used was too long.

Coroner Tim Scott said while adventure tourism could never be made 100 per cent safe, it could be a lot safer than it was the day Ms Peters died.

Mr Scott also noted there were still no formal standards for bridge swinging in New Zealand.

- NZPA