A report into the death of Gideon Te Ahuru signals important messages for all recreational divers aged over 45 years old.

Mr Ahuru was a much-loved and respected member of Lower Hutt’s community. A series of decisions in a diving trip on Waitangi Day 2025 meant he did not return home to his whānau.

Water Safety New Zealand strongly advises all recreational divers to:

• Always dive with a buddy, so someone is there to respond in an emergency.

• Constantly monitor each other during the dive.

In almost every incident, deaths in New Zealand’s waters are preventable. A report from Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave (released 13 November 2025) into the death of Gideon Te Ahuru makes recommendations to reduce the chances of future diving deaths.

Water Safety New Zealand strongly supports a call for recreational divers to seek medical advice when there are any changes in their health, when they use or change medications, and when they turn 45 years of age.

The call for General Practitioners to speak with patients who are recreational divers about fitness and medical conditions could be a step that saves lives.

Rob Hewitt, Kaihautū Māori of Water Safety New Zealand, describes 60-year-old Gideon’s diving trip at Eastbourne’s Barrett’s Reef as a preventable tragedy. When males overestimate their abilities in the water, it’s likely they won’t return home to the people who love them.

“My heart goes out to the whānau and everyone who loved this man. The fact is, Māori men, Pasifika men, men of all shapes and sizes – when we get to a certain age, we can be defensive and overconfident about our ability in the water.

“Even with three decades of diving experience, Gideon was not fit to dive. A heavy haul of kina and an existing medical condition contributed to him struggling in the water and not prioritising the sort of safety precautions essential for every dive trip.”

Water Safety New Zealand endorses the coroner’s recommendation for regular medical assessments. All divers aged over 45 should speak with their GP about their diving fitness at least once a year.

Recommendations from Coroner Schmidt-McCleave are crucial for diving safety:

• Divers should check the test date on their cylinders and get it tested before using it if it is out of date.
• Diving equipment should be regularly serviced, at least annually and divers should not dive with equipment that is faulty or suspected of being faulty.
• Always monitor air supply and end a dive when there is 50 bar remaining.

Notes:

• Rob Hewitt, a former navy diver survived 75 hours lost at sea in 2006. 
  Rob, then 38, was only 200 metres off Mana Island when he went missing after a day gathering crayfish on 5 February.
• In 2024, three people drowned while freediving and one person drowned snorkelling.
• An average of 7.9 people lose their lives in underwater activities every ten years (average 2014-2023)

Tackling the heart of drowning risk

Water Safety NZ’s Kia Maanu Kia Ora l Stay Afloat Stay Alive water survival education programme targets drowning risks.

Funding supports community-led interventions that address the underlying reasons why Māori and Asian males are disproportionately impacted by drowning.

Programmes focus on:

• Improving the skills, knowledge and decision-making of males aged 35-54.

• Initiatives that promote safe kai gathering practices – such as freediving and underwater foraging for Māori communities in the upper North Island.

• Programmes improving land-based fishing practice and water survival skills for Asian communities in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland).

• Increasing community collaboration, resourcing, and support for the priority communities.

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