A jet boat with five passengers struck trouble in the Clutha River near Queensberry on Friday (November 22) at approximately 8.30pm. 

“The Clutha is running high which made conditions dangerous,” Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said. 

A multi-agency emergency response, including Wānaka LandSAR, was mobilised. All passengers were wearing lifejackets, and all passengers were accounted for, Fi said.

She said warmer weather and longer days are making our waterways attractive for recreationists, and advised planning trips well.

This includes taking two forms of waterproof communications (eg. a mobile phone in a waterproof bag and a personal locator beacon); telling someone when you head out the water; wearing a lifejacket; and checking the weather forecast. Fi also advised checking information on river flows (via Otago Regional Council).

Queenstown LandSAR was called out to a rescue at the back of the Remarkables last week (Wednesday November 20). 

“It is fair to say that the person who ran into difficulty was woefully prepared and had to endure a night out in freezing conditions,” Fi said. “A complete absence of adequate food, clothing and a plan.”

Again, she said she urged people to adequately prepare before heading out into the great outdoors, by planning, advising someone of your plans, checking weather, knowing your limits, taking sufficient supplies, and taking appropriate means of communication.

Road policing

Police were called to attend a single vehicle accident on Monday afternoon (November 25) after a vehicle travelling from Wānaka to Hāwea lost control and travelled up a bank. 

“Alcohol and speed are likely contributing factors and will be dealt with accordingly,” Fi said.

In a separate incident a driver was located and issued an excess breath alcohol infringement notice on Friday (November 22). 

The Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) has been in Wānaka, Fi said, and a truck with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4,655kgs was observed travelling north on MacPherson Street - which vehicles with a GVM over 3,500kgs are prohibited from using.

“There are warning signs at both ends of the street. Residents are often in touch with police reporting poor driving behaviour,” Fi said.

With the festive season approaching, Fi advised people to have a “robust plan” for transport arrangements when alcohol is involved.

She also noted that carparks at busy walking tracks (such as Mt Iron and Roys Peak) are filling up. “Please ensure that you park considerately and safely; remove any valuables or documents in your vehicle; and lock your vehicle.”

Scams continue

Facebook Marketplace scams continue to be an issue.

“Most sellers are genuine, however there are some people who use Marketplace to target people,” Fi said. “If you are buying something sight unseen, you are taking a risk. There are risks when trading on all online platforms. Please do your diligence.” 

She said police are also seeing banking related scams, including: people pretending to be from a trusted organisation like a bank, government agency or police; phishing scams, such as emails or text messages that trick people into sharing personal or bank details; and copying social media accounts to make a fake profile and contacting people’s friends list.

“Scammers target people of any gender or age, and it doesn’t matter how much money you have. It’s important to stay up to date with the types of scams,” she said. 

“If you think you or someone you know has been the victim of an online scam, fraud, abuse and harassment or other criminal activity online you can report online or call 105. Providing as much information as possible helps us in processing your report, this could include any relevant evidence and documents available e.g. bank statements, emails, texts, social media accounts.”

Find more information here.

Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.

Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.

Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.

To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.

PHOTO: Wānaka App