Bereaved parents fly to NZ river

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7377011.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The parents of a 21-year-old law graduate who died taking part in an extreme sport in New Zealand will arrive in the country later.

Emily Jordan, from Trimpley, near Bewdley, Worcs, became stuck under rocks and drowned while river-boarding near Queenstown on the South Island.

Her parents, Chris and Sarah, will visit the Kawarau River gorge where their daughter died on Tuesday.

Mr Jordan earlier criticised new "extreme sports" activities.

He said: "Every day we seem to hear of a new extreme sport. Are they trying to push it too far?"

The sport of river-boarding involves single participants lying on a body board as they ride through rapids.

Ms Jordan, who was travelling with her boyfriend, had been on an organised trip when the accident happened.

Sgt Stephen Ereckson, of New Zealand Police, said guides tried for about 20 minutes to free her from rocks in the river before attempts were made to resuscitate her on the riverbank.Emily Jordan was on a six-month trip with her boyfriend

Ms Jordan graduated last year from Swansea University with a first-class law degree.

Mr Jordan added: "We were worried, like any parents with young adults who want to experience the world.

"They deserve to experience the world when they work so hard - and certainly Emily and Johnny had worked extremely hard at school and university to get good degrees.

"And she deserved to do what she wanted to do."

His wife Sarah paid tribute to their daughter who she called a "shining star".

"She touched everybody's life," she said. "She was always laughing and smiling and she just lived life to the full. She was intelligent, she was beautiful, she was a darling daughter."

The owner of Mad Dog River Boarding Company, Brad McLeod, told Radio New Zealand the incident was his "worst nightmare".

He said the firm would be closed until further notice and an investigation into what happened was taking place.