Kayaker's death 'freak accident'

An experienced American kayaker died after his kayak became wedged between two trees, pulling him under the swollen Kaituna River near Rotorua.

Police this morning named the victim as Kyle Stidham, from Alabama.

They said the 23-year-old and others were kayaking on the popular whitewater recreation river that flows out of Lake Rotoiti when he went missing at 1.15pm yesterday.

Search and rescue teams and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene and after the level of the river was lowered it was found that his kayak had become wedged between two trees dragging him under the water.

Mr Stidham was one of four in a private party which had gone kayaking down the river in an area known as Awesome Gorge.

Constable Colin Fraser of Rotorua said two of the kayaking party were local. The other two were American.

"They were all very experienced."

It is believed storms had probably brought the trees down in the past week and made the river very high.

Some locals suggested that the river might have been too high to negotiate safely.

But professional kayaker Andi Uhl told the New Zealand Herald Mr Stidham's death was more due to bad luck than the high flow.

"It was a freak accident."

- NZPA