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Simarpreet Kumar died while swimming at Karioitahi Beach, pictured, in late 2021. (File photo)
The drownings of two people at Auckland beaches show the need for more water safety signs as the country heads into summer, a coroner says.
Simarpreet Kumar, 17, died while swimming at Karioitahi Beach on November 23, 2021.
Shortly afterward, on January 4, Frances Carswell, 74, died while swimming at Wenderholm Beach on January 4.
Coroner Alexander Ho released his findings on the deaths on Thursday, saying a lack of water safety signage came up in both cases.
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Both Carswell and Kumar died after being pulled out by rip currents.
WATER SAFETY NEW ZEALAND
It takes less than a minute for a child to drown, whether they are near a bathtub, pool, river or ocean. Water Safety New Zealand reminds adults active and constant supervision of minors saves lives.
Ho said proper water safety signage at both beaches could help reduce similar incidents in the future.
At the time of Carswell’s death, there were nine water safety signs located at accessways and at the main carpark that warned of strong of swift tidal currents, but there was no signage at or near Wenderholm Beach.
There was also no water safety sign at or along the public accessway to the beach.
Ho said a casual beachgoer heading for the main beach would not encounter any warning signs.
“The only opportunity they would have of learning about the danger at the estuary mouth is by stopping to look at the noticeboard in the main ca rpark,” he said.
On the day Kumar died, there were only two small water safety signs mounted at Karioitahi Beach, with one of the signs directed at mariners rather than swimmers.
Ho said the sign mounted at the beach, directed at swimmers, didn’t comply with relevant standards.
The sign read, ‘check before you swim’, but didn’t identify specific hazards like rip currents or inshore holes. Other text referenced water quality, rather than safety.
CHRIS SKELTON/STUFF
Wenderholm Beach is approximately 900 metres long and is constrained by the Puhoi River to the north and cliffs to the south.
Ho said the sign was bolted onto a bigger sign relating to Māui dolphins which meant it could have been overlooked.
Auckland Council has since installed three new signs at Karioitahi Beach, warning visitors of the risk of strong currents and rips, large waves, deep holes and unstable cliffs.
The council said it was also committed to considering additional signs at Wenderholm.
It would also look at installing similar signs at other sites with similar hazards.
