A New Plymouth teenager has lost his life during an ill-fated attempt to cross a Taranaki river. Police today named 17-year-old Jaden Peterson as the person swept away as he tried to cross the Waiwhakaiho River yesterday afternoon. Jaden was found submerged in the river at 5.25pm, about 200m from where he was last seen. Sgt Lawn said people needed to be vigilant around river crossings as all crossings were potentially dangerous. To reduce the risks when crossing a river, it was recommended that appropriate clothing was worn, an assessment of the river made and to never cross the river alone.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 23, 2017 23:47 UTC