An Australian man is dead after a whitewater rafting accident in New Zealand on Saturday.
The New Zealand Herald reports the man was one of six Australian tourists whitewater rafting on the Shotover River near Queenstown when the raft flipped.
The raft guide and another safety guide reportedly followed regular safety protocols to bring the tourists back to a bank.
But Tim Barke, general manager of Challenge Rafting owner Totally Tourism, said the man lost his grip on the raft and was pulled through another rapid.
Once the man was returned to the shore, the guides attempted CPR and used a defibrillator. The man could not be resuscitated.
Speaking to Radio NZ this morning, Barke said it was not unusual for rafts to overturn in Skipper’s Canyon and that safety guidelines were followed, however “the outcome was certainly something we did not expect.”
The other five passengers were taken to hospital for evaluation and counselling. One is understood to have sustained an injury to his shoulder.
The identity of the man has not yet been made public as authorities prepare to conduct a post-mortem investigation.
Police, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, and Maritime New Zealand are investigating the incident.
