The Far North District Council has been criticised by a coroner for failing to implement water safety signage at one of the region's beaches, where a man drowned trying to save his children.
In a ruling released on Tuesday, coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale said Wairongoa Clarence Renata and his family were "unaware" of potential hazards when they went swimming at Cable Bay on January 2, 2018, and his death could have been avoided.
Renata was on the beach watching his three children swim when they got stuck in a rip, and he entered the water to try and help them. About six members of the public also went into the water and swam out to rescue the children.
Borrowdale said Renata then got into trouble himself and went underwater before a rescuer could get to him. He was eventually brought back to shore by paddleboarders but could not be revived by paramedics.
Renata was the third person to drown at Cable Bay since 2001, the coroner said. All three were Northlanders aged between 25 and 29 and all were Māori men.
"I have made enquiry of the Far North District Council, and it remains the case today that no water safety signage is in place at Cable Bay," said Borrowdale.
"When the Renata family chose their swimming spot at Cable Bay on January 2, 2018, they were unaware that it posed hazards to those who entered the water without a flotation device.
"This implies no discredit to the family. There were no signs or other information warning of the hazards."
The council, in response to the coroner's questions about water safety signage, said: "Signage advising of rips were installed many years ago at Cable Bay Beach Reserve, but were removed for reasons unknown and not replaced."
"With the placement of two life-saving devices located at both Cable Bay Beach Reserve and Little Cable Bay Reserve, [the] council deemed that this would be sufficient," said the council, when asked by the coroner why signage wasn't installed after Renata's death.
Borrowdale said the beach hazards that claimed Renata's life is a continuing feature at Cable Bay. The approach taken by the council to mitigate these hazards was dissatisfying and complacent, she said.
Borrowdale has recommended the council erect "prominent and informative" signage at all approaches to Cable Bay Beach.
"The Far North District Council should extend this water safety signage to other beach areas also, where similar hazards have been identified by Surf Lifesaving New Zealand, namely Taipa Bay, Coopers Beach, and elsewhere in Doubtless Bay," she said. "The Far North District Council should expand the 'Visiting the Far North' section of its website to incorporate water safety warnings and information for Cable Bay Beach and any other areas of known hazards."
The council has been contacted for comment.
