Latest news with #RobHewitt
NZ Herald
26-07-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Nearly 20 years on former navy diver Rob Hewitt reflects on 75 hours lost at sea
On the day he went missing he was diving with friends from Manawatū, kitted in his full navy dive gear – including a tether rope used to tie dive partners together – a weight belt, wet suit and fins. 'The skipper of the boat looked at me and said, 'We don't do that sort of stuff [tether together] here',' Hewitt said. 'They were a little bit cowboyish and that challenged my integrity but I thought, 'When in Rome, do what the Romans do', so I put all I had learned as a navy diver aside.' Sea survivor Rob Hewitt is promoting drowning prevention, hoping his experience will save lives. The first dive didn't go well - an early sign, he believes, of what was to come. 'We resurfaced and my dive partner had grabbed about five crayfish and said to me, 'Didn't you get anything?' 'I had a couple of kina. I said, 'I thought you were getting the kai and I was saving your life because there was some dangerous stuff going on in the water'.' Hewitt said that's when he made the cardinal mistake and went down alone. 'I broke the golden rule and wanted to show off and show these fellas what I could do...I had a karakia when I was 8m deep and asked god for some crayfish and kina. I saw a cray and put it in my bag. Rob Hewitt survived 75 hours at sea after "breaking the cardinal rule" and going down for a dive alone 'I went down another couple of metres and spied about 30 crays. I thought I would get the lot and plant the crays over my body, float up to the surface and show these fellas I am the man. 'It was that arrogance and crossing that line of tikanga and broke the rule of my grandfather – you only take enough for a feed.' Hewitt said he moved into an underwater cave and a rip pushed him out the other side. When he resurfaced he was 600m from the boat, which was heading in the other direction picking up the other divers. The time was 4pm. 'I had no issue because this was my workplace. There was no panic,' he said. Rob Hewitt talking water safety. Hewitt started kicking towards the boat but after 15 minutes realised the current meant he was making no headway, and started feeling concerned about expending his energy. He calculated the food he had consumed and the resources he had with him and decided to let the current take him. He spotted a rescue helicopter and realised the dive crew had called a mayday. 'I thought, 'Hey, I'm the navy diver. I should be the one doing the rescuing'.' It was that arrogance and crossing that line of tikanga and broke the rule of my grandfather – you only take enough for a feed Rob Hewitt The mental game As he waited in the ocean, Hewitt feared being judged. 'I could imagine the headline: Former All Black Norm Hewitt's brother, a navy diver, needed rescuing from the sea.' He tried to use the reflection of his face mask to attract the rescue helicopter but it headed back to the airport. 'I thought my life was only worth 48 minutes of searching. I'm 38 years old, had spent 20 years in the navy, and that's what I was worth.' 'About 8pm, I started to worry and thought, 'Who do I know that's survived out at sea floating in the water – no one',' he said. I did what anyone would do. I prayed for all my sins to be forgiven Rob Hewitt 'I did what anyone would do. I prayed for all my sins to be forgiven because sometime during the night I think I'm going to die.' Hewitt said self-pity soon turned to survival. 'I started playing little games, said karakia, recited my whakapapa to keep my mind active ... I connected to my Māoritanga, who I was as a New Zealander, as a Māori, to my wairua.' The sun rose about 5.30am. Hewitt said his face was cutting up and he was being pushed out to Kāpiti Island. He had four kina and spent an hour eating each one, killing four hours. 'I'm from Ngāti Kahungunu and eat the roe and eat the guts, but before I do, I look around to see if anyone is watching. I was worried about being judged.' Hewitt said he always carried an inferiority complex from being in the navy and being the brother of an All Black. He still had a crayfish and ate it in the evening over three hours, crying and aware it could be his final meal. He noticed his tongue starting to swell, and fingernails coming away from his fingers – something he'd seen before while retrieving bodies from people who had drowned. He was being bitten by sea lice. The third night came and Hewitt had all but given up on surviving. The rescue that saved his life Hewitt went missing around 1pm on February 5, 2006 and was rescued at 4.04pm on February 8 – after 75 hours lost at sea. 'I look up and see a little Zodiac and two of the navy divers ... I thought they were a hallucination. They said to me, 'Bro, what are you doing'. 'I said, 'Waiting for you fellas'.' Rob Hewitt teaching young Kiwis about water safety. Hewitt told the Herald his battle with Tangaroa (Māori God of the sea) and survival was never far from his thoughts. He has written two books and a German film crew is working on a documentary. New Zealand recorded 74 drowning fatalities in 2024 – the lowest since 2018. Water Safety New Zealand says while the reduction is encouraging, many fatalities are preventable, involving not wearing life jackets, entering the water alone, and underestimating the conditions. Friday marked world drowning prevention day. In New Zealand 21 people die annually while gathering kai (food) - that's about 26% of all drowning fatalities. They are predominantly male, adult, and of Māori, Pasifika or Asian descent. Joseph Los'e is an award-winning journalist and joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los'e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.
Scoop
22-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Calling On Kiwis To Share Their Stories This World Drowning Prevention Day
Water Safety New Zealand and ACC are calling on New Zealanders to take part in World Drowning Prevention Day on Friday 25 July - an annual advocacy event organised by the World Health Organisation - by sharing personal stories and raising awareness about the everyday actions that can prevent drowning, prevent injury, and save lives. This year's global theme, 'Your Story Can Save A Life' encourages people across Aotearoa and around the world to speak openly about their experiences in, on, or around the water - from close calls to life-saving moments, and the lessons that shape our decisions. In sharing our stories, we learn from the experience of others. This can save lives. Some stories are well known, including that of Water Safety New Zealand's own Rob Hewitt (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Rangikoianake), an ex-navy diver with his own harrowing tale of surviving 75 hours lost at sea. Rob now dedicates much of his time advocating for water safety, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika communities, generously sharing his story to draw attention to the necessity of Water Safety and having an unwavering respect for the water. Interventions Lead at Water Safety New Zealand, Esther Hone (Ngāpuhi), has her own story of survival and of loss. She was drawn to a career in water safety after losing a friend when boating on a lake when she was younger. 'That experience had a dramatic impact and made me understand how quickly things can go wrong - particularly in open water environments where conditions can change so quickly.' Advertisement - scroll to continue reading In 2024, New Zealand recorded 74 drowning fatalities - the lowest annual toll since 2018 and a 14% drop from the 10-year average. While the reduction is encouraging, Water Safety New Zealand say the risks of preventable drowning remain very real. An average of 86 New Zealanders drown every year. Many fatalities involve preventable behaviour such as not wearing a lifejacket, entering the water alone, consuming alcohol or other drugs, and underestimating conditions. New Zealand drowning facts: Men continue to be overrepresented - 73% of drownings in 2024 (54 out of 74 total drownings) were male adults (aged 25 and above) 90% of craft-related drownings in 2024 were not wearing a life jacket 88% of 2024 drownings were adults Nearly 20% of drownings in 2024 were at one of NZ's highest risk drowning locations. 'We are making good progress, particularly with our tamariki, but every life lost is one too many,' says Esther. 'World Drowning Prevention Day provides an opportunity to speak up, share our stories, and help shape a culture where water safety is second nature.' ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker says World Drowning Prevention Day is an opportunity to be more mindful of the risks in and around the water. 'A drowning is a devastating event for any whānau and community, and our hearts go out to every family who has lost a loved one,' he says. 'Most of these tragic drownings are preventable if we take the time to consider the risks.' Whitaker stressed the importance of following the Five Ways to Survive – New Zealand's Water Safety Code. 'Far too many New Zealanders are drowning, and these events are preventable,' he says. 'If we take time to assess the risks and make smart choices before we jump in, we can keep on doing the things we love.' New Zealanders are invited to take part in World Drowning Prevention Day by sharing their own water safety experiences to help reinforce that the power is in prevention. How to take part: Use World Drowning Prevention Day as a reason to post your water story or safety message on social media to contribute to a culture of water safety in New Zealand. Share an experience, life lesson or thought around water safety, reminding New Zealanders that the power is in prevention Use hashtags #WorldDrowningPreventionDay, #WaterSafetyNZ, and #ShareYourStory Access free downloadable toolkits and digital assets from 'Whether it's a national story or a moment from your local beach - what you share can save lives,' says Esther. 'Let's connect, share, and work together to solve drowning in New Zealand and create a culture of water safety. The power is in prevention'. Notes: People who overestimate their ability, ignore weather forecasts, don't wear lifejackets, or think swimming skills are all they need to stay safe – are people who put their lives at risk around water. The five points of New Zealand's Water Safety Code – Five Ways to Survive were developed based on drowning and injury data, and global evidence of what works to save lives: Water Safety New Zealand also notes that the first reading of the Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill will likely take place in July. Again, another important moment - and an opportunity to both express our support for the bill and express the need for one consistent national rule around lifejacket use for all ages, particularly given the number of adult drownings where no life jacket was worn. About Water Safety New Zealand Water Safety New Zealand is the lead agent for water safety and drowning prevention in New Zealand. For more than 75 years, we've made it our mission to support people and places to be safer around water. We do this through focused data science, leadership, education, and advocacy. As a charity, we are dedicated to making New Zealand's waterways safer for everyone.
