A person who died at the Poripori water hole on Saturday was from Tauranga, police have confirmed.
By Ayla Yeoman of Local Democracy Reporting
It's the second incident where a local has died at the popular Wairoa River swimming spot in as many summers.
Tauranga 21-year-old Jontae Christopher Alden died in December 2024 after jumping from a rock into one of the natural pools at the swimming hole. The case was before the coroner this week.
On Saturday, police and other emergency services were called to a location off Poripori Rd about 2.55pm, after a person was pulled from the water.
Police said CPR was given but the person died at the scene. Police have referred the death to the coroner.
Local Democracy Reporting understood the person was a man.
A witness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were planning to take their three young daughters for a swim at the Poripori water hole. When they arrived in the carpark, they saw an ambulance had just arrived.
The rest of the emergency services followed, and the swimmers were evacuated from the water hole.
"Everybody was quiet.
"It was just this common sadness because everybody knew what happened."
Known as the Poripori water hole or swimming hole, the series of natural pools were surrounded by bush and well-known as a spot to cool off in hot weather.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserves and facilities manager Peter Watson said the council was not involved in the emergency response as that was not its role.
Asked whether safety changes may be needed after two deaths in Poripori over two summers, he said the council would be guided by any recommendations from the coroner.
"Any natural water body, whether it be a river, stream, the ocean or a lake, presents hazards and risks to anyone entering the water."
There were several signs in the area warning of drowning risks due to water flows increasing from releases of the Lake McLaren dam upstream.
A Contact Energy spokesperson said there was no release from the dam on Saturday, only on Sunday as scheduled.
Waterholes 'always dangerous'
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Glen Scanlon said rivers remained one of New Zealand’s deadliest environments for drowning.
"Poripori, like so many calm and beautiful swimming holes in New Zealand’s rivers, poses risks of submerged rocks, a fast-flowing current, and hazards from slipping and falling.
"On a warm sunny day, a river swimming hole looks like a great place for a swim. Swimming in rivers is fun, but it can always be dangerous."
Scanlon said that, in almost every incident, drowning in New Zealand could have been prevented.
But this could not be prevented by signage alone.
River swimming advice from Water Safety NZ
Swimming in a river is not like swimming in a pool or in the sea.
- River water is much colder than pool or sea water
- You do not float as well in river water as you do in seawater
- If you are in a river current and try to put your feet down, your foot could become trapped under rocks
- If you are in a river current, you can become trapped against obstacles and strainers or be swept into rapids, waterfalls or weirs
- If you are in a river current, you will use a lot of energy to keep yourself afloat as you look to get out of the river at the first safe exit point.
New Zealand’s water safety code focused on the critical decisions people must make to stay safe: watersafetynz.org/staying-safe/water-safety-code
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
SHARE ME