Accident Database

Report ID# 621

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  • PFD Not Worn or Present
  • Does not Apply
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Accident Description

DESCRIPTION: Full James Rapid in is just that, a rapid. It is a single wave/hole with some smaller following waves and two large eddies on either side stretching for a couple of hundred feet. The rapid is proceeded and followed by flat water. It is a large volume rapid with few obstacles. Local paddlers indicated that it is fairly common for this rapid to be swum or run on inner tubes without a PFD. It was also the site of the World Rodeo Championships in early December, 1999

Niamh Tomkins, 24, was a member of the Irish Rodeo Team. She entered the river during a break in the action with several other swimmers, including a man on a surf-board who had stood up briefly on the Full James Wave. None of these people wore life vests.

Clay Wright, a well known competitor, witnessed the accident and described it as follows:

“The whole crowd was pumped up for the "Sudden Death" rounds. The music was pounding and the ozone-free sun was beating down harder than you can imagine. The atmosphere was incredible. Numerous competitors and locals were playing in the river without life jackets. Their PFD’s were with their boats above the wave.

“A German crew hopped aboard an air mattress and attempted to surf – sans lifejackets. A surfboarder succeeded. All were getting pushed around by the boils downstream but eventually made the right eddy. The Irish girls jumped in and went down the far right side of the rapids, which led them to the top of the right eddy. This was the most powerful seam at the site, where the water coming upstream from the bottom of the eddy met the fast current from the rapids. Here encountered dangerously powerful downdrafts.

“According to witnesses, Niamh Tomkins was pulled down before she ever reached the eddyline and didn't re-surface for about 30 sec. Nearby boaters were already helping her friends (who had surfaced before her) to shore when the next seam formed, sucking her under for a second time. Brandon Knapp and others drifted down the eddyline hoping for a chance to help, but did not get one. Dan Gavere got the word out on the Public Address System within minutes. But despite hundreds of people searching, there’s no way to help someone you can't find.

“Searchers on the cliffs above could see much deeper into the clear water. Fifteen minutes later we spotted something white bouncing along the bottom into shallower waters downstream. The rescue was swift and first aid immediate, but there too much time had passed.

“Don't beat it to death, she and we all know better. But the crowd, the music, and the company of others in the eddy made it feel remarkably safe. Whoever was on that eddyline when a big seam formed was in for trouble, but it didn't occur often enough to be noticed unless you were squirting around looking for it. And yes, with a lifejacket she probably would have popped back up in time for someone to help.”

SOURCE: James McIntyre and Clay Wright

ANALYSIS: (Walbridge)

1. Although experienced whitewater paddlers are seldom without their PFD, deaths of unprotected swimmers in fast moving water are common. A National Park Service Morning Report, reported five other river swimming deaths in the summer of 1999 alone. On July 4th two swimmers died in separate incidents on Pennsylvania ’s Delaware River . On July 18th Mary Ward, 80, drowned on Deep Creek in Great Smokey Mountain National Park after becoming separated from her inner tube. Eighteen year old Alexander Terry drowned on August 1st, while swimming in the Big South Fork of the Cumberland   in Kentucky . On August 4th Sergei Markowitz became pinned under a boulder during a swim in Yosemite Valley ’s Merced River . Several weeks earlier a base jumper, attempting to elude park rangers, also jumped into the Merced and was killed. On August 17th Bonia Hubbard, 17, drowned while swimming in the low-water Potomac River near Great Falls, Virginia . Most narratives reported that the victim was doing fine until they were pulled under suddenly by currents. In each case, a well-fitted life vest would have saved the victim’s life.

2. All paddlers, no matter how skilled, need to wear a PFD in whitewater. This is especially true in big water, where powerful downdrafts may pull a swimmer far below the surface and hold them for long periods. People who are pulled far underwater without PFD’s may also become disorientated, and may actually swim away from the surface!

3. Recent advances in the sport by elite paddlers have shattered many preconceived ideas of what’s safe and what isn’t. We must respect the basic safety rules that serve as the foundation of our sport. As mass paddling events become more common, each of us must remember not to let enthusiasm and excitement substitute for common sense and good judgment.

 

 

12/5/99 Tragedy Strikes World Championships Niamh Tomkins, a 24yo female member of the Irish Freestyle team drowned today for after purposely swimming through Full-James rapid without her life jacket during a lunch break immediately before the finals were about to start. Witnesses say she started above the rapid and disappeared through the FJ wave without appearing again. The announcers immediately asked paddlers in the water to search the eddy. Others ran to a bluff overlooking the eddy hoping to spot her. There was a horrible 10-15 minutes as the helpless spectators stared at the river in disbelief while paddlers frantically scanned the river. There was absolutely no sign of her. Finally she was spotted underwater 300 yards down the river by people on the bluff . Paddlers jumped out of their boats to drag her to the surface. CPR was started. Another ten minutes passed and the rapid jet boat arrived to carry her up stream to waiting medical transportation. CPR was continually being administered. News of Niamh's death reached the site early in the evening.

Before her fate was known it was decided to call off any more competition for the day. Many paddlers would have been happy to forgoe the rest of the competition but the Irish team felt it was important to continue the competition. Nobody was allowed in the river until the taboo is lifted according to local Maori tradition. A ceremony was held to do that this evening. It can take up to two weeks to eliminate the taboo a death creates in the river but the elders were assured that the ceremony took care of any taboo. The competition will go on tomorrow at 8am but nobody seems to have much enthusiasm to continue. Our prayers and thoughts go out to her family, friends and teamates during this time of great pain. stefan

================================================================= Subject: Observed-Re: World’s delayed due to drowning

From: james anderson jpa39@stu dent.canterbury.ac.nz

Date: Wed, 08 December 1999 08:07 PM EST

Message-id: <384F00D9.F55F3F29@student.canterbury.ac.nz>

I am not a freaquent news group contributor, however this issue compelled me to post. I was one of the many spectators (and also a kayaker of some experience) who was on the bank when this incident unfolded. I have read speculation in this news group of many things, including speculation on her mental state. This I believe to be, at least, ill-considered at this time. The Full-James Rapid is turbulent with some quite strong eddies. However the women who died was proceeded down the river by at least three other swimmers, also without helmets or life jackets and a man on a surf-board who stood up briefly on the Full James Wave. Speaking personally when I watched the first swimmers pass, though I considered there actions less then smart, I did not consider them dangerous. It is fairly common for this section (note: this information gained partly from conversations with others as I do not have enormous experience of this rapid) to be tubed.

The Full James Rapid is just that, a rapid. It is a single wave/hole with some smaller following waves and two large eddies one on either side stretching at most a couple of hundred feet from beginning to end. The rapid is proceeded and followed by large sections of flat water. In my own words and experience of the whole incident I can best describe it as a freak accident and the general atmosphere as one of disbelieve. Of course there will be neumerous threads that will run on gear, common sense and the nature of risk and death. However ill-advised this women’s actions will come to be regarded (and I do not believe this is the time to make such comments and I am not sure how I feel myself) for this rapid and that day it was not out of the ordinary. She was by no means the first to swim down nor do I imagine she will be the last. The purpose of this post was, as best as I could, to provide some information so as any discussion, that people feel needs to happen, be as free from speculation as possible. Beyond everything else that day a young women died. My condolences to her family and team mates and my thoughts to all involved. On a further note the organisers, the kayakers and the rescue services behaved with the upmost of skill and speed to help, a thought for their humanity and the quality of their response would not be remiss.

James mcintyre wrote: From Kayakmag.com.

Condolescences to everyone involved. See the full results at http://www.kayakma g.com Tragedy Strikes World Championships Niamh Tomkins, a 24yo female member of the Irish Freestyle team drowned today for after purpously swimming through Full-James rapid without her life jacket during a lunch break immediately before the finals were about to start.Witnesses say she started above the rapid and dissapeared through the FJ wave without appearing again. The announcers immediately asked paddlers in the water to search the eddy. Others ran to a bluff overlooking the eddy hoping to spot her. There was a horrible 10-15 minutes as the helpless spectators stared at the river in disbelief while paddlers frantically scanned the river. There was absolutely no sign of her. Finally she was spotted underwater 300 yards down the river by people on the bluff . Paddlers jumped out of their boats to drag her to the surface. CPR was started. Another ten minutes passed and the rapid jet boat arrived to carry her up stream to waiting medical transportation. CPR was continually being administered. News of Niamh’s death reached the site early in the evening. Before her fate was known it was decided to call off any more competition for the day. Many paddlers would have been happy to forgoe the rest of the competition but the Irish team felt it was important to continue the competition. Nobody was allowed in the river until the taboo is lifted according to local Maori tradition. A ceremony was held to do that this evening. It can take up to two weeks to eliminate the taboo a death creates in the river but the elders were assured that the ceremony took care of any taboo. The competition will go on tomorrow at 8am but nobody seems to have much enthusiasm to continue. Our prayers and thoughts go out to her family, friends and teamates during this time of great pain. stefan * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!

 

 

 

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