Q and A: School canyoning tragedy

Have you gone canyoning on the Mangatepopo River?
Tell us about your experiences, send us your photos

Six students and one teacher from Elim College, in Howick, died after an adventure course in the Mangatepopo River run by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Turangi turned to tragedy.

What is Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre?

OPC (Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand) was established in 1973 when Sir Edmund Hillary became its patron.

The centre offers a range of outdoor education and adventure programmes for youth, adults, school students, special needs groups and corporate staff training.

There are more than 50 different programmes (at a number of levels) to choose from each year.

Activities such as white-water kayaking, rock-climbing, mountaineering and sea-kayaking take place throughout the year at OPC Tongariro and OPC Great Barrier.

Where is Mangatepopo River?

Mangatepopo River is part of Tongariro National Park. Tongariro is New Zealand's oldest national park and is situated in the Central North Island. It is renowned for its natural beauty including lakes, bush and mountains and Maori heritage.

The other OPC centre is located on Great Barrier island in the Hauraki Gulf.

What is canyoning?

Enthusiasts travel through canyons in isolated areas all over the world.

A canyon or gorge is a deep valley between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. (Wikipedia)

A number of techniques are used that include scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling and swimming.

Canyoning attracts both the adrenalin junkie as well as those wanting to capture natural scenery at its very best.

Special climbing apparatus and clothing are required to take part in this outdoor pursuit such as ropes, helmets and wetsuits.

Canyoning is known as canyoneering in the US and Kloofing in South Africa.

Canyoning in New Zealand

Organisations of a varying degree exist in Queenstown, the Waitakere ranges, Nelson, Canterbury, Wanaka and the Coromandel.

Canyoning around the world

Gorgonchon Canyon, Sierra de Guara in Spain is considered one of the best places in Europe to take part in this adrenaline activity.

Canyoning tragedies around the world

In July 1999, 21 people (predominantly Australian) died in an expedition near Interlaken, central Switzerland in flash floods.

What is a flash flood?

A flash flood occurs when a thunderstorm produces heavy rain causing rivers and streams to rise quickly over a very short period of time.

Flooding follows as the ground is unable to absorb huge volumes of water.

Flash floods in New Zealand

The most dangerous flash flood in New Zealand occurred in 1938 in the Kopuawhara stream, between Gisborne and Napier.

Thunderstorms unleashed an estimated 130 millimetres of rain in an hour in the coastal hills and twenty-one people drowned as a result.

Flash floods around the world

In August 2004, the village of Boscastle, Cornwall became the centre of media attention when heavy rain fell for five hours. The consequent flooding caused severe damage to buildings as the river burst at its sides.

What is Elim Christian College?

Elim College is a state-integrated school for new entrants to Year 13. There are currently 550 pupils with over 50 international students. The school is located in the suburb of Botany Downs, Howick, Auckland.

- HERALD ONLINE