Police name man fatally swept out to sea north of Timaru

Monday, 1 February 2021

A man who died after being swept out to sea north of Timaru has been named as Richard James Walsh.

The 58-year-old from Levels Valley was dead when he retrieved from the water by helicopter in Seadown, on Saturday.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter pilot Matt Boulcott told Stuff, the man was located “in the breakers, maybe 50 metres out from shore”.

“A fire crew on land still had visual and they steered us in the right direction. We pretty much found him straight away.”

“We winched him onto the aircraft and landed, but he was deceased so that was pretty much all we could do.”

The incident has been referred to the Coroner.