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| Payout ordered over river death | Payout ordered over river death |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A New Zealand extreme sports company has been ordered to pay £33,500 compensation to the family of a British woman who died while river boarding. | A New Zealand extreme sports company has been ordered to pay £33,500 compensation to the family of a British woman who died while river boarding. |
| Emily Jordan, 21, of Worcestershire, became trapped beneath a rock and died while riding along rapids in the Kawarau River near Queenstown in 2008. | Emily Jordan, 21, of Worcestershire, became trapped beneath a rock and died while riding along rapids in the Kawarau River near Queenstown in 2008. |
| Black Sheep Adventures Ltd, which admitted two health and safety charges, was also fined NZ$66,000 (£27,600). | Black Sheep Adventures Ltd, which admitted two health and safety charges, was also fined NZ$66,000 (£27,600). |
| The court heard the firm's safety plan was not up to industry standards. | The court heard the firm's safety plan was not up to industry standards. |
| The company, which trades as Mad Dog River Boarding, also failed to carry ropes, Queenstown District Court heard. | The company, which trades as Mad Dog River Boarding, also failed to carry ropes, Queenstown District Court heard. |
| Charges dropped | Charges dropped |
| The trial heard Miss Jordan, of Trimpley, near Bewdley, and who had graduated from Swansea University, could have been saved had a rope been available. | |
| Company director Brad McLeod and Black Sheep Adventures had each denied three charges of failing to ensure the safety of their customers. | Company director Brad McLeod and Black Sheep Adventures had each denied three charges of failing to ensure the safety of their customers. |
| On Monday all charges were dropped against Mr McLeod and one against the firm was dropped while the company pleaded guilty to the remaining two. | On Monday all charges were dropped against Mr McLeod and one against the firm was dropped while the company pleaded guilty to the remaining two. |
| The court heard how Miss Jordan, who had graduated from Swansea University, drowned after becoming trapped underwater for 20 minutes on 29 April. | The court heard how Miss Jordan, who had graduated from Swansea University, drowned after becoming trapped underwater for 20 minutes on 29 April. |
| Survival rates | Survival rates |
| Her boyfriend, Jonny Armour, who had been travelling around New Zealand with her, told the court they had not been warned about the risk of getting trapped under rocks or the possible survival rates if this happened. | Her boyfriend, Jonny Armour, who had been travelling around New Zealand with her, told the court they had not been warned about the risk of getting trapped under rocks or the possible survival rates if this happened. |
| But Nigel Kendrick, operations manager in charge of the trip, told the court he had navigated the Kawarau River about 2,000 times with 25,000 customers. | But Nigel Kendrick, operations manager in charge of the trip, told the court he had navigated the Kawarau River about 2,000 times with 25,000 customers. |
| He said there had never been a serious incident involving the rock under which Miss Jordan became trapped. | He said there had never been a serious incident involving the rock under which Miss Jordan became trapped. |
| Miss Jordan's father, who flew to New Zealand for the trial, said the family would continue to campaign for extreme sports to be better regulated. | Miss Jordan's father, who flew to New Zealand for the trial, said the family would continue to campaign for extreme sports to be better regulated. |