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© 2025 The Gisborne Herald
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‘Mammoth’ recovery effort after excavator operator dies in tragic Waimatā River incident

3 min read

The excavator operator who lost his life when his machine tipped over in the Waimatā River on Monday morning was working as part of the Gisborne District Council project to remove woody debris from along the banks of the river. This image of a helicopter assisting the collection of logs and debris was published last week with a story on the clearance work.

Rescuers have described the “mammoth” effort made to recover the body of a 48-year-old excavator operator who died when his machine tipped over in the Waimatā River on Monday. 

The tragedy unfolded mid-morning when the 30-tonne machine flipped at a spot in the upper reaches of the river past Utting Rd. 

It ended up upside down in the river with the driving compartment completely u...

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