KEY POINTS:
The head of the outdoor pursuits centre is defending the organisation's safety record and the instructor who led the group on a fatal canyoning trip on Tuesday.
But he says little could have been done to save those caught in a flash flood that killed seven people.
Dr
Grant Davidson, who is the chief executive at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, said the death of six Elim Christian College students and one of their teachers was the "worst tragedy to have befallen the organisation".
Dr Davidson said a "rain bomb" coupled with the area's worst drought in his 24 years at the centre were likely key factors in the flood.
The Mangatepopo River levels were at 0.5 cubic metres of water per second at 3pm but within half an hour they had reached 18 cubic metres per second - the equivalent of the Tongariro River's flow.
By 4pm the river levels were back to normal.
"I've seen the river increase to those levels before but never at such speed," said Dr Davidson.
"Once the group were in there and the river rose at such a rate, there was nothing that could be done."
Dr Davidson, whose voice broke while tears welled in his eyes as he recalled the horror, defended the centre's safety standards, which he said were among the highest in the country.
"The centre has the highest safety accreditations and I would like to think we are operating at the highest standards," said Dr Davidson, who holds a PhD in risk management.
"But despite the best policies and systems we have in place, nature certainly dealt us a cruel blow which has resulted in this tragedy."
He also stood by the female instructor who led the group on their fatal canyoning trip, who was just three months into her job at the centre.
Dr Davidson said the centre's field manager, who had 10 years' local knowledge, was ultimately responsible for making decisions about whether or not to undertake certain activities.
The woman, whom Dr Davidson would not name, had gained "years of experience" through similar operations overseas.
She held a degree in physical education from Otago University, a certificate in outdoor education and "a lot of personal experience".
She was yesterday receiving grief counselling.
"Obviously she's really shaken by what's happened but we're here to provide support and that's what we'll continue to do." Investigations into the circumstances around the deaths will be conducted by the police and the Department of Labour. The centre will also carry out its own review.
- additional reporting NZPA