The coroner wants people to heed speed restrictions, after a woman died by hitting a bridge support, while being towed on a ski biscuit by a jetski.
Coroner Heidi Wrigley has released her findings into the jetski death on the lower Waitara River in Waitara in 2021, recommending signs that tell people to travel slower than five knots near structures.
What happened that day
On November 10, 2021 Patricia Elaine Teresa Wilson Wirihana Takanini, 40, also known as Tira Wilson, was riding on the craft on the lower Waitara River, near New Plymouth.
It was going faster than the five-knot speed limit allowed near structures.
Just before reaching the a bridge, a girl who was on the biscuit with Wilson Wirihana Takanini came off, and the ski biscuit rode up and over the wake of the jetski, and swung towards a set of concrete bridge pillars.
Jetski driver Leevi Toa yelled to Wilson Wirihana Takanini to get off the biscuit, but she likely did not hear him.
“[Toa] reported keeping a ‘constant throttle’ on the jetski while travelling under the bridge to ensure he maintained control of it,” Wrigley said in her report.
“When the jet ski had passed the bridge and the ski biscuit was less than two metres from a pillar of the bridge, Mr Toa let go of the throttle, which would enable him to make a hard turn.
“At this time, Ms Wilson Wirihana Takanini came off the ski biscuit. She appeared to do a forward roll, before she struck her head on the nearby concrete pillar.”
Toa immediately went to help Wilson Wirihana Takanini, who was not wearing a life jacket.
He found her floating just beneath the surface of the river. She was unresponsive and had an obvious head injury.
Toa immediately began first aid efforts and arranged for her to be taken to the riverbank. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation of Wilson Wirihana Takanini was attempted and those efforts were continued by attending ambulance personnel, but Wilson Wirihana Takanini died at the scene.
Speed was a causal factor in Wilson Wirihana Takanini sustaining fatal injuries, Wrigley found.
She said Toa approached Town Bridge at about 20 km/h (11 knots). He reported that he had slowed to this speed as part of his ‘ritual’, when approaching the bridge, to ensure the safety of those he was towing on a biscuit.
He explained that, when the ski biscuit was directly behind the jetski, the wake holds it in place, which keeps and away from the bridge.
Wrigley said maritime rules dictated that no vessel exceed five knots within 200m of any structure.
“In keeping with the conclusions reached by Maritime NZ, I am satisfied that, had Mr Toa been operating the jet ski in accordance with the five-knots rule, Ms Wilson Wirihana Takanini is far less likely to have sustained her fatal injuries, due to the lower forces involved.”
Neither the police nor Maritime NZ elected to charge Toa over Wilson Wirihana Takanini’s death.
Maritime NZ told RNZ based on the information they gathered, including from the families of those involved, a decision was made to take no further action.
Its general manager, general regulatory operations, Michael-Paul Abbott said Maritime NZ had reviewed the coroner’s findings and recommendations.
“We have made contact with New Plymouth District Council and will support them to review and replace boating safety signs on the navigable sections of the Waitara River, including for speed limits.
“Maritime NZ has a strong focus on working with regional, council and national water safety organisations to improve recreational boating safety.”
He said this was done through the Safer Boating Forum, a formal network of 38 boating, marine industry and central and local government agencies promoting recreational boating safety in New Zealand.
“Skipper responsibility, which includes knowing the rules and safe speed, is one of the issues the forum is promoting through its members, clubs, at point of sale and in publicity to boaties.”
“We work together to increase recreational craft users’ competency, modify their behaviour and reduce fatalities and injuries, through evidence-based information campaigns and activities. We are currently planning specific work with Forum members to ensure that others can learn from what has happened here.”
NZ Herald reported that Wilson Wirihana Takanini had been treated for cancer and had been only recently been cancer free before the accident.
It reported she was a well-known singer and became popular throughout New Zealand for singing with her children during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Coroner’s recommendations
Wrigley said Wilson Wirihana Takanini’s death showed the importance of following the five-knot rule when using a jetski to tow passengers near bridges or other structures.
She recommended Maritime NZ worked with local authorities to post conspicuous signs on all bridges over navigable sections of Waitara River, telling river users of the five-knot rule.
Wrigley also recommended Maritime NZ communicate the importance of the five-knot rule widely.
RNZ has attempted to contact the family of Wilson Wirihana Takanini and Leevi Toa.
rnz.co.nz