OPC launches canyoning tragedy review

Photo / Nikki Williams

Tara Gregory's funeral

Floyd Fernandes' funeral

Portia McPhail, Tom Hsu and Natasha Bray's funerals

Anthony Mulder and Tony McClean's funerals

Canyoning tragedy

The seven victims

The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre today announced an independent review into the central North Island canyoning tragedy that claimed seven lives last month.

Six students and a teacher from Auckland's Elim Christian College died after a group of 12 they were in got caught out by the rapidly rising Mangatepopo Stream near Turangi in April.

OPC Hillary Centre chairman Grant McKenzie said the review would start immediately and was expected to be completed in around six weeks.

It would be led by independent specialists including Australian associate professor Andrew Brookes, who has been involved in inquiries into outdoor education deaths in Australia.

Mr McKenzie said a summary of the review would be made public, with a full report going to police and the Department of Labour.

"Our trustees have asked the review team to identify any matters, either unique to the particular events, or of a more systemic nature, that could have contributed to the tragedy, and to make recommendations about how improvements could be made to ensure that OPC Hillary Centre is as safe as is practically possible," he said.

Mr McKenzie said the review team was not being asked to establish legal or moral fault.

The legal responsibility would be dealt with by other agencies, he said.

Inspector Steve Mastrovich said police would conduct their own investigations into the tragedy.

The police inquiry would be done on behalf of the Palmerston North coroner, he said.

- NZPA