The stranded ute in the Waimakariri River. Photo / Coastguard NZ
By Phil Pennington of RNZ
Rescuers were told to hold back for more than an hour from saving a man and his dogs in the middle of a flooded Canterbury river unless something “catastrophic” happened, an emergency call log shows.
The man got stuck in his ute in the Waimakariri River near West Melton just north of Christchurch, with water flowing around the bonnet, at about 12.30pm on Saturday.
The first 111 call for help was at 12.34pm.
A Coastguard jetboat and Fire and Emergency New Zealand raft crew got him off the ute almost two and a half hours later, at about 2.50pm.
But the log showed the Fire and Emergencyraft crew were ready on the riverbank just after 2pm but were told not to deploy “unless urgent life preservation required” and to wait for the Coastguard.
The Coastguard had only been alerted about an hour after the 111 call.
By the time their volunteers got there, the vehicle was “sinking”, according to the log.
“FENZ swift water entering water up stream and Coast Guard entering water from down stream.”
The ute was close to the bank and the eventual rescue took less than 10 minutes.
Police defended the way they co-ordinated the rescue, calling it efficient and covering all the risks.
A source – a trained responder familiar with what happened – told RNZ that holding back was “odd”.
“It was a pretty simple rescue but then because police are managing it they won’t let us do anything. The river came up and made it more dangerous to operate.”
Coastguard North Canterbury was alerted “just after 1.30pm”, its online post said.
“This was our first official swift water rescue response, and the crew were really chuffed to be able to carry it out successfully. It was a great opportunity to put our training into practice,” said North Canterbury vice-president Logan Pryce online.
Pryce said the Coastguard only subsequently learned of the delay.
He told RNZ that while the Coastguard had been “pushing hard” for police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and civil defence to use their capabilities, it was not privy to police decision-making on Saturday.
“We would rather be let know about a situation early and be sent home because it is resolved before we get there, than ... have to work harder to help resolve the situation,” Pryce said.
Police said the rescue was “completed efficiently and without incident”.
The ute’s driver had “remained under continuous observation by staff on the riverbank”.
“At no point did his condition deteriorate or the level of risk increase.”
Police said they were advised a full and ready Fire and Emergency swift water team was not immediately available, while the Coastguard could get there in 45 minutes.
“Given the river conditions and the value of a jet-powered vessel in high flows, police proceeded with Coastguard as the most appropriate partner agency,” police told RNZ.
Soon after the 111 call at 12.34pm, the Fire and Emergency call log said: “Toyota ute is half submerged in the water. Occupant is sitting on top of the ute with his 2 dogs about 20m from the riverbank.
“River is in flood. Ute appears stable at the mo’... Nil injuries ... River in flood and has a heavy flow.
“Occupant on ute too far away to communicate clearly with.”
Volunteer fire crews set off – the riverbank was just minutes away – and police and ambulance were alerted quickly.
The crews were set up downstream with throw bags by 1.12pm when word arrived that it “sounds like they [police] are happy to approve whichever response is going to be the quickest between Coastguard, Westpac and FENZ swift water rescue”.
Police said an officer was immediately sent to the scene to monitor the man’s safety.
At 1.13pm the log said: “Water rescue approved”. A few minutes later that went – as per protocol – to Fire and Emergency’s National Commanders’ Group to sign off on. This took until about 45 minutes after the 111 call.
Fire and Emergency at 1.48pm had been trying to confirm when Coastguard volunteers might get there – but Coastguard said it was only alerted about 1.40pm.
The water-trained firefighter team got to the riverbank at 1.53pm.
But 11 minutes later came the message for them to wait.
A Fire and Emergency assistant district commander – who was not at the scene – referring to a decision by the police search and rescue co-ordinator – who was also not at the scene – said: “Details passed re SAR decision for swift water rescue to not deploy unless urgent life preservation required”.
“He requests that as soon as Coast Guard are on scene we are to be advised and Fire and Emergency New Zealand water rescue to be stood down.”
A minute later the Rolleston fire crew messaged from the riverbank, “SWRT [swift water rescue] set up in place – unable to deploy unless catastrophic change in situation This is from police coms [sic].”
RNZ asked police and Fire and Emergency what might have constituted “catastrophic”. They did not address that in their statements and did not give an interview.
The source suggested that might look like a large log floating down, headed towards the ute – at which point the swift water team would have had to scramble. “That would put the rescuers in a worse position.”
In the event, the Fire and Emergency team waited 35 minutes until the Coastguard got there at 2.40pm, and shortly afterwards they both got the job done.
“Male and 2 dogs back on shore,” said the log at 2.51pm.
Online comments at Coastguard’s site included: “So awesome to see you guys out with Fenz as well. It’s been a hard and challenging road but you’ve proven that doing it once, doing it right, gets the job done.”
RNZ asked Fire and Emergency why its water team did not go in immediately.
It issued a two-line statement: “The police were the lead agency and, as such, it’s appropriate that your inquiry is directed to police. Fire and Emergency New Zealand responded and were available as an asset to the incident controller.”
Coastguard spokesperson Kimberley Waters said the national operations centre got the call from police and started mobilising.
“So we have no idea at what point a call was made before that.”
Pryce said North Canterbury volunteers had spent several years getting a boat and vehicle and training to technician level, but Waters did not think the delay was in response to the volunteers’ push to be used.
“The process is always police making a decision as to who they want to respond in any given SAR situation so in this situation our swift water rescue is skilled and qualified,” she told RNZ.
Police said it was a co-ordinated response that ensured the man was brought to safety while managing risk appropriately for all responders.
“Decisions were made collaboratively, based on real-time assessments, available capability, and the paramount priority of responder and public safety,” operations manager for Canterbury Inspector Bryan Buck, said in a statement on Tuesday.
They discussed whether to send a helicopter but did not.
- RNZ