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The Elim group arrived at the OPC on 13 April 2008.
It started to rain about midday on 15 April and continued throughout the afternoon with varying intensity.
On 16 April, the day of the tragedy, the usual instructors meeting was held. It was at this point that the faxed MetService forecast was read to the instructors. It read: "Rain with isolated and poor visibility at times. Rain easing to showers tonight."
There was discussion in the group that the release appeared to be missing a word - it was in fact thunderstorms.
At 9:00am the day's activities began with the high ropes course at the OPC. Throughout the morning there was light drizzle, then at about 10:30am it began raining heavily with an episode of thunder and lightning.
The group finished the high ropes activity at about 11:00am. Jodie Sullivan, the groups instructor, then equipped the group for the afternoon walk.
She decided not to take her group the full length of the gorge because of poor afternoon light.
As the thunderstorm passed over at about midday, the rain eased.
Because of the increased rain, the field manager went to the gorge at approximately 11-11:30am to check on water levels at the Genesis intake structure where the groups enter the gorge. He found a normal water level.
He then drove to where the Mangatepopo Stream passes under State Highway 47 and the water looked low.
He returned to the OPC about midday. As the group had lunch he had a discussion with Sullivan about her intentions to go to the gorge.
He questioned why she was still going after the heavy rain, but she made it clear that she would play some dam games and that if she went up the gorge it would not be the full (usual) distance.
Each member of the group had a wetsuit, a personal flotation device and a helmet.
A full safety briefing was given before the group embarked on their trip. Sullivan taught them hand signals to use in the gorge, the 'throwbagging' technique and the 'whitewater position'.
The group arrived at the Genesis intake structure at about 12:30pm. Sullivan checked the level of the stream and observed that it was "up a little". The water was clear and she observed that it was running at the same level and speed as the previous week.
The group entered the gorge.
Around this time a very heavy rainfall occurred in the Mangatepopo catchment area. NIWA said it was a one in five year rainfall event.
At around 1pm another instructor arrived at the Genesis intake structure.
He looked at the water level to check to see if his planned gorge walk should proceed that afternoon and made the decision not to go ahead with it. His decision was based on slightly increased flow, surface runoff of water elsewhere and a slight discolouration to the water a short distance up stream - indicating increased flows.
The second instructor returned to OPC at about 1:30pm and alerted his field manager that he had decided to cancel his gorge walk.
The field manager asked the instructor if he had seen Sullivan, but he had not. As a result the field manager went to try and locate Sullivan and her group.
Sullivan's walk continued to almost the full extent of the upstream gorge walk (halfway ledge) but with fading light they started to return.
The field manager arrived at the Genesis intake structure at about 2pm to find the stream in a condition that meant the group would be stuck in it somewhere. He checked the muddy track for signs of the group but could not find any.
The field manager returned to the OPC and sent two instructors to go to the top of halfway ledge to check for the group.
When Sullivan's group got to the first stream crossing on the way back to the Genesis intake structure, Sullivan noticed that the water was rising and had started to change to a colour.
At the next stream crossing, the water had risen further. She used a technique called 'throwbagging' to cross each member to the other side of the stream.
After making the crossing they made their way to a ledge on the left side of the stream at about 2:30pm.
Sullivan decided to wait there for the water to subside. She tried using her radio to contact OPC but there was no signal.
They waited on the small ledge for about an hour (3:30pm). The water was now up to their knees.
The two instructors sent to look for the group failed to find them and noticed the water rising.
Sullivan made the decision to leave the ledge. She decided that she would float downstream, position herself in the stream and throw out the throwbag for the students to catch so that she could bring them to shore.
After seeing their abilities in the water she paired up the strongest with the weakest. Sullivan was paired with a student. Mr McLean, the accompanying teacher, was also paired with a student.
She advised McClean to send the pairs down at five minute intervals.
The first pair were unable to reach the throwbag and were swept over the dam.
The girl that was partnered with Sullivan called for help on the radio and OPC staff were mobilised.
The next pair came down the river. They managed to grab the throwbag but were unable to hold onto it. They also went over the dam.
McLean and his pair were the last to come down. They too were unable to hold onto the throwbag and went over the dam.
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