Jet boat crash in Southern District

Location of incident: Tekapo

Incident type: Jet boat crash

PRESS RELEASE
14th April 2009
At 10.00am yesterday morning a jet boat with four persons on board was travelling down stream on the McCauley River about 1 kilometre from the head of Lake Tekapo.
The driver chose a braid in the river with insufficient water and the boat flipped once landing upright in shallow section of the river.
All four persons were thrown from the boat. Occupants from another boat were able to raise the alarm via cellphone. Emergency services personnel responded to the remote location.
The four occupants all in the 20's received various injuries. One had head and back injuries, another a broken ankle and the other two lower back injuries.
The two more seriously injured persons were flown to Hospital by Westpac Rescue and the other two were transported by St John Ambulance.
There were three jet boats on the private trip and all persons reside in the South Island