Waihi Beach lifeguards recognised for efforts in search for missing Hamilton teen

Thursday, 9 April 2020

Jaden Chhayrann, 17, died after being pulled out in a rip on Waihi Beach.

Lifeguards who helped search and retrieve a Hamilton teenager's body after he was swept out to sea off the Bay of Plenty coast have been recognised for their 'great deed'.

Waihi Beach Lifeguard services received the BP Rescue of the Month award for their efforts in the search for 17-year-old Jaden Chhayrann.

The Melville High School student was on a class field trip to Waihi Beach at the base of the eastern Coromandel when he was caught in a rip while swimming and pulled out to sea.

His body was located 10 days later near Whiritoa Beach, about 16 kilometres north of Waihi.

Waihi Beach surf lifeguards search for teenager Jaden Chhayrann.

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'Carrying out search and recovery work is a huge task that affects the volunteer lifeguards deeply, but it is important to Surf Life Saving NZ that we are able to help give families closure as part of their grieving process,' Surf Life Saving NZ said in a statement.

Searches are scouring the rocks north of Waihi Beach in the search for missing teen.

It was around 12.30pm on Friday, February 21 - a warm summers day at Waihi Beach.

Towards the north end of the beach not far from the Top 10 Holiday Park an off-duty surf lifeguard was told that someone was in trouble near the rocks. The beach was not being patrolled at the time.

An inflatable rescue boat was set up and the emergency call out squad was activated.

Another off-duty lifeguard helping at a surf school near the spot where Jaden and another teen were swimming when they got into trouble, came to help.

They launched the IRB from where Jaden was last seen five minutes before the alarm was raised. A local surfer armed with a rescue tube also paddled out.

Waihi Emergency Call Out Squad coordinator Andrew Cochrane arrived at the surf club and began coordinating the search.

A rescue craft was sent to search around the rocks where the rip current leads out to sea. A second inflatable was deployed with two lifeguards searching the water. Police soon arrived. A former lifeguard walked the top of the tracks overlooking the beach to get a view out to sea.

At the beach Jaden's classmates and teachers gathered in the club's lounge where they were offered food and water.

Rotating lifeguard crews searched the waters and shoreline until 6pm - rotating every hour due to rough conditions and fatigue.

As the light faded, the search was called off.

In the days following Jaden's family gathered at Waihi - cared for by club members, the Red Cross Katikati Community Relief Team, the Otawhiwhi Marae and the Maori Wardens.

Searches continued each day until the morning of March 1 when Jaden's body was found 16km up the coast by Whiritoa Surf Lifeguards.

'The outcome was unfortunately tragic and our thoughts are with the young man's family and the Surf Lifeguards involved,' BP NZ Managing Director Debi Boffa said.

'We would like to acknowledge and recognise the tenacity and incredible commitment of the lifeguards who were involved.'

SLS Kariotahi were also recognised for rescuing 12 people from a flash rip on Waitangi Day and Sunset Beach rescued seven teenagers from a rip on February 16.