Left to right is Mike Mather (Chairman Higgins and Langley Board of Directors), Callum Alexander (North Canterbury Unit Training Coordinator), Kevin Bryce (North Canterbury President) and Phil Miller (Vice Chairman Higgins and Langley Board of Directors).
Coastguard North Canterbury volunteers were called out yesterday afternoon to help search for a man who was swept into the Cass River after falling in while walking the Cass-Lagoon Saddle Track; near Craigieburn Forest Park, Selwyn, with a companion.
Police requested Coastguard North Canterbury’s assistance with the search just after 2pm, which centred on a stretch of the Cass River near where State Highway 73 crosses it, roughly four to five kilometres upstream of the bridge.
The two men had been walking the track when they fell into the river; one managed to reach the riverbank, while the other was swept further downstream.
The man who made it to shore faced an hour-long walk through rugged native forest and heavy, rock-strewn riverbed before they came across a member of the public, who raised the alarm with police. He was later taken to Christchurch Hospital to receive medical attention.
With a missing person somewhere along the river and darkness closing in, the search quickly grew to include Police, LandSAR, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard North Canterbury. Coastguard's Swift Water Rescue Team was dispatched to the scene, with rescue vessel Blackwell Rescue, which was used to search the river.
In total, six Coastguard North Canterbury volunteers travelled to the site, three of whom crewed the boat while the remainder worked from the riverbank.
During the search, Coastguard crew located a beanie believed to belong to the missing man, a find that helped narrow the search area along the difficult terrain.
The Cass River search highlights the demanding conditions Coastguard volunteers are often called into at short notice, in fast-moving water surrounded by steep, forested terrain, and failing light among them.
It also highlights the value of a coordinated response between Police, LandSAR and Coastguard when someone goes missing in the back country.
Coastguard North Canterbury has thanked its volunteers who dropped everything to respond last night, as well as the member of the public who helped raise the alarm to get search and rescue teams underway.
