Father and son who drowned off Wairarapa coast 'touched the hearts of many'

Sunday, 12 January 2020

Police divers recovered the bodies of Darren and Joshua Southon on Saturday.

The father and son who died while diving off the Wairarapa coast were Darren and Joshua Southon.

The 48-year-old Masterton father-of-two, and his 11-year-old son were snorkelling at Mataikona, north of Castlepoint, when they went missing on Friday. He and Joshua were part of a party of four who had gone out to the coast on a day trip.

Members of the Police National Dive Squad found their bodies on Saturday evening near Mataikona, and police released their names on Sunday afternoon.

Darren Southon died while diving with his son over the weekend.

Joe Southon, Darren's brother and Joshua's uncle, paid tribute to the pair, saying both 'touched the hearts of many people'.

Police divers recovered two bodies near Mataikona on Saturday evening.

'Darren was an adventurous, fun-loving man, who was a giant kid at heart,' Joe Southon said in a statement released by police. 'He was a bit of a joker, who also had a serious side to him. He loved his cycling, and had a passion for his work as a builder.

'He was well respected within the entire community.'

A local fishing boat assisted with the search for the pair.

Joe Southon's nephew was equally active, he said.

'Joshua was a chip off the old block, just like his dad, he gave everything a go, he was a competent young boy at everything he put his hand to.

The deceased were part of a group of four family members who came out from Masterton on Friday.

'He adored his father and loved hanging out with him whether it be cycling, motorbike riding or splitting wood together. Both Darren and Joshua touched the hearts of many people.'

Southon said the family wanted to extend 'a huge thanks' to the entire community, including the rescue crews and people in a fishing competition who joined the search.

'Some of those people on board the boats responded to the distress call without knowing who was involved, but ultimately some of them discovered that they knew Darren and Joshua.'

Southon said the police dive squad did an amazing job 'bringing our boys home'.

The reef where the group were collecting pāua is a popular diving area.

Conditions had not been ideal for diving on Friday as the water was discoloured and waves were breaking over neighbouring reefs.

Wairarapa Search and Rescue sergeant Tony Matheson said the spot where the group went out was a popular diving area but conditions were known to regularly be murky and affected by swells. One of the group got out because he didn't like the conditions.

In the time it took him to get the 40 or 50 metres to shore the others had disappeared from view, Matheson said. It was thought the missing pair were not using fins.

Matheson said the local community had been extremely helpful with their efforts to help find the two snorkellers.