Wife defies tide for her dying man

By CATHERINE MASTERS and PATRICK GOWER

An elderly woman cradled her husband's head to keep him from drowning as his broken body lay sinking under a four-wheel-drive on wet sand at Muriwai beach.

Ian Lloyd, aged 72, of Muriwai, later died at Auckland Hospital of his injuries after tragedy ended four old friends' mullet-fishing expedition.

Last night, Mr Lloyd's family told the Herald he would be sorely missed by the small community.

His wife, Rosalie, said their 48th wedding anniversary was last Friday, the day of the accident. The couple lived all their married life at Muriwai, where her husband was known as the local handyman.

The four friends were driving along the Muriwai beach foreshore scouring the water for signs of mullet.

Mr Lloyd was standing alone on the tray of his 77-year-old friend's Land-Rover looking ahead as the vehicle edged towards the water in a remote spot 40km north of the Muriwai township, just short of South Head.

Orewa policeman Sergeant Andrew Chapman said that as the waves receded, the friend drove towards the edge of the water.

He stopped in a safe position and engaged reverse gear, waiting for the next surge of water, when he planned to back away.

Unseen by the driver, Mr Lloyd stepped off the back of the vehicle as it began to reverse.

The tray struck him, knocking him to the ground, and he was pinned under the rear axle.

Waves started washing the sand away from under the vehicle's wheels, and it started to sink, Sergeant Chapman said.

"They tried to jack the vehicle up using the vehicle's jack, but it kept sinking into the sand."

Mrs Lloyd was under the vehicle with her husband, holding his head above the water.

He was trapped for more than an hour until a vehicle carrying "five large fishermen" arrived. They stopped and lifted the Land-Rover off Mr Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd was flown to hospital by the WestpacTrust helicopter. He had severe internal injuries, a fractured spine and paralysis from the neck down.

His son, Glen Lloyd, said last night that his father had been a well-known local identity who had helped "tons of people in the area."

"If someone needed any nuts and bolts or anything, they knew to come and see Dad, because he would have it in his shed."

Glen Lloyd said the people of Muriwai were stunned by his father's death.

Mrs Lloyd said her husband "was always there to help the other people in Muriwai."

His daughter, Karen Lloyd, said: "He lived for Muriwai, he died at Muriwai. We will spread his ashes on Muriwai. Dad always said he never wanted to leave here."

Glen Lloyd said his father had always loved fishing at Muriwai.

"He began fishing when hardly anyone came here. As he got older, he still loved to go surfcasting or mulleting with his mates."

Sergeant Chapman said Mr Lloyd had been lucid after the accident and told police what had happened.

The friends had been fishing together for 20 years.

"These people have been friends for a lifetime and were very, very close and it's an absolute tragedy."