A South Korean man who drowned in Lake Wānaka in 2022 stopped swimming suddenly and sank below the surface just five metres from his friend, a coroner has found.

In findings just released, Coroner Andrew Schirnack said there was a strong possibility 21-year-old Jinwoo Park developed a sudden abnormal heart rhythm shortly before drowning.

Jinwoo was travelling around New Zealand with a friend when they visited Roys Bay for a swim on November 24.

His friend entered the water first, swimming to a pontoon situated around 50 metres from the shoreline, before Jinwoo followed.

After stopping suddenly near the pontoon, his friend reported, Jinwoo began waving his hands to the side before he sank below the surface and did not resurface.

Jinwoo’s friend called for help and jumped in the water to assist, shortly followed by two passers-by.

He was located on the lake floor by one of the passers-by but they were unable to retrieve him and the police dive squad recovered his body the following day.

The coroner said the pathologist had reported it was likely “a sudden abnormal heart rhythm” resulted in insufficient blood being pumped to the heart, “leading to him being unable to continue swimming or maintain buoyancy”.

Jinwoo was described as young, fit and healthy and he was a former Korean Navy serviceman.

His friend reported he was a good swimmer who could swim 100 metres.

Jinwoo had shown no signs of fear or pain when he stopped swimming, the friend said.

The coroner requested Drowning Prevention Aotearoa (DPA) provide an analysis of the death, and its report included safety recommendations such as hazard assessments for anchored swimming pontoons, water safety signage and the availability of rescue equipment.

The coroner said while he was “not detracting from the DPA’s recommendations” he did not believe Jinwoo’s death could be clearly linked to the absence of any safety gear or signage.

PHOTO: Wānaka App