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Coroner Robb\u2019s findings said Pincott and her son Bryden Frizell, 25, had booked the rafting trip with River Rats the night before.<\/p>\n
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On arrival at the Kaituna River, they received safety instructions, lifejackets and helmets, and signed a waiver before setting off with two experienced instructors for the Grade 5 rapid.<\/p>\n
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They were headed for the Tutea Falls, advertised online as the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world.<\/p>\n
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About one million people have \u201cnavigated the fall without incident\u201d, the Coroner found.<\/p>\n
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The raft navigated several drops without incident, and the pair was \u201ckeen to continue\u201d when guides checked in.<\/p>\n
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Coroner Robb reviewed photos and video of the raft going over the final drop.<\/p>\n
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The raft became submerged and full of water before resurfacing with three on board.<\/p>\n
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Pincott surfaced behind the raft within 10-15 seconds. She was heard saying \u201chelp\u201d, and her head kept going under the whitewater.<\/p>\n
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Her lifejacket appeared loose and it was unclear if she was wearing her helmet.<\/p>\n
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A guide swam her to a rock. She did not appear to have ingested or inhaled water.<\/p>\n
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The guides believed she may have suffered a complication of her heart condition, so administered the angina spray she had provided.<\/p>\n
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She was taken to shore \u201cvery pale\u201d but was conscious when emergency services arrived.<\/p>\n
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She complained of something \u201ctight around her neck\u201d and her lifejacket was cut off.<\/p>\n
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Pincott said; \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel like my last heart attack 10 years ago\u201d, before losing consciousness. She could not be revived.<\/p>\n
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A pathologist found her death was caused by chest injuries with \u201cfractured thoracic spine and torn inferior vena cava\u201d from \u201chigh-energy impact\u201d.<\/p>\n
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\nFalls from rafts \u2018common\u2019
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River Rats\u2019 long-time owner Justin Hutton provided evidence to the coroner.<\/p>\n
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His report said he believed Pincott was washed from the raft when it hit the pool at the bottom of the waterfall.<\/p>\n
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Her injuries may be from \u201cpotentially being driven to the bottom of the river by the power of the water\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Customers falling from rafts was \u201cextremely common\u201d at Tutea Falls but this \u201cseldom\u201d resulted in injury, he said.<\/p>\n
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Robb found the river level and nature of the falls was the same as on \u201cthousands of other rafting tours\u201d and the raft was correctly guided to reduce the risk of flipping.<\/p>\n
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The Kaituna River near Okere Falls. Photo \/ Andrew Warner<\/p>\n
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Maritime New Zealand found no other record of a death or significant injury at that location, but Hutton told the coroner a\u00a0rafter died at Tutea Falls in 2008<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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