Riverton boating tragedy: Community remembers those lost

Riverton is a small coastal town about 35 minutes from Invercargill. Its population is around 1600 people. Photo / LDR, Matthew Rosenberg

A coastal Southland town is grieving the loss of three people who died in a boating tragedy at the weekend.

Husband and wife Richard and Heather King died with their friend John McCulloch after their boat capsized just 100m off the shore near Riverton on Saturday.

They were known for their contributions in business, architecture and helping youth.

Richard King was well known within Southland for his role in saving Sgt Dan Fleming’s Cremoata mill after its liquidation.

Its managing director Daryl Moyle said he met King through business dealings 20 years ago.

“I managed the RD1 farm retail store in Gore and he was a customer, and we discussed this feed mill closing down, and he said him and his mate were keen to buy it. So that’s how basically got started, and it’s been running 20 years in March next year,” he told the Herald today.

“We had a pretty good relationship, and never had any issues.

“He’s been a sheep farmer, dairy farmer, even deer at one stage. He’s a reasonably smart businessman, so he’s been a big help to me.”

Moyle said King was also involved as a board member of the Deep Cove Trust, which runs a facility in Doubtful Sound for school camps.

“He lived in Riversdale just outside of Gore for about 15 years and became one of the identities of that community,” he said.

“Then when he basically retired and sold his dairy farm and shifted to Riverton a number of years ago and built a beautiful home there, he became reasonably well known in that area as well.

“So it came as a bit of a shock for everyone.

“[He was a] very avid fisherman, and fished a lot in Doubtful Sound when he was on the board there, he had his own boat in Doubtful Sound on a lot of occasions.”

Retired architect John McCulloch was also killed in the tragedy.

Southland Mayor Rob Scott said the community is in shock.

“It’s going to have a huge impact on the community,” he said.

“It’s a tight-knit community, you know those local volunteers for Coastguard and Fire and St John who would have had to go out to assist in this as well.”

Emergency services were alerted about 2.55pm on Saturday to the capsize at the Riverton bar. Of the five people on board, three died. Rescuers found a survivor clinging to the upturned hull while several victims were trapped beneath the vessel.

Police, Coastguard Riverton, Coastguard Bluff, Hato Hone St John, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Search and Rescue volunteers were all involved in the rescue efforts.

The Southland police area commander, Inspector Matt Bowman, said: “Upon the last sweep of the night before the rescue helicopter was about to return, the fifth and final person was located deceased in the water.

“This was a heart-wrenching incident, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the whānau of those involved, who are being supported,” he said.