By Guy Williams of 
Jeremy Norbury died while kayaking in the Turnbull River in 2023. Photo: Supplied
A skilled Queenstown kayaker drowned after becoming caught in a river hazard resembling a ''washing machine'', a coroner says.
In findings released on Friday, coroner Amelia Steel said Jeremy Norbury, 24, died on 25 February in 2023, while kayaking with friends in South Westland's Turnbull River.
After leaving Queenstown early that morning, the group reached the river about 1pm after carrying their kayaks for about an hour.
Setting off one after the other, Norbury was the last to begin paddling, Steel said.
They all cleared the first rapid, and the first four members of the group cleared the next, grade 4, rapid.
As they waited in calm water, they saw Norbury become stuck in a pocket, a ''very aggressive recirculating hole - like a washing machine''.
As he fought to regain control, they got out of their kayaks and went to help him.
Although he finally managed to release himself from his kayak skirt and separated from the kayak, he then disappeared.
Jerremy Norbury (front) and friend Zack Mutton kayaking down a drainage ditch in Hokitika. Photo: Supplied
The group spent about 20 minutes searching for him at that location, and also activated a personal location beacon.
After searching downriver, they found him stuck in a 'sieve' - a river feature in which water flows between two obstructions - about a metre underwater.
They were unable to dislodge his body.
A specialist water rescue team recovered his body the next day.
Steel said Norbury was recognised as a skilled and experienced kayaker, who routinely kayaked up to three times a week.
He had kayaked the Turnbull River about four times before.
His companions also had recent experience on the river, and the group was well-prepared and properly equipped.
''Jeremy unfortunately became stuck in a hole in a grade 4 rapid that he could not escape.
''He had no choice but to release his skirt... he would have been submerged underneath his kayak and likely drowned at that point if he had not."
Norbury was then swept downstream underwater and rapidly taken into the sieve, which prevented him from rescuing himself, she said.
This story originally appeared in the Otago Daily Times.
