NZONE Skydive resumes operations after Queenstown fatality

Skydiving operations and commercial activity have at resumed Queenstown's NZone Skydive after a tandem incident that resulted in the disappearance of an American tourist in Lake Wakatipu.

The company voluntarily suspended operations following the accident last Wednesday, with Californian Tyler Nii, aged 27, missing, presumed dead, following a jump at Jack’s Point.

A recovery operation to retrieve his body from Lake Wakatipu is continuing.

After consultation with New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), NZONE Skydive operations resumed on Sunday.

A statement from the company advised that the CAA’s Deputy Director General Aviation supported and approved NZONE Skydive’s resumption of operations.

Advising that company is continuing to fully co-operate with the investigation, NZONE Skydive Executive Director Anthony Ritter stated “this is a small but very important first step in beginning the healing process. I would like to again express my heartfelt condolences to the man’s family and acknowledge the support of the wider skydiving community and the close-knit city of Queenstown during this difficult time.

“Queenstown is the adventure tourism capital of the Southern Hemisphere and we know how important skydiving is to the vibrancy of this unique city. In that regard, we’re pleased to say that after taking advice from the regulators, staff, crew and the local community, we have resumed operations.”

A temporary trading halt on shares of NZone's parent company, Australian-based Experience Co, was lifted on Friday. It had been put in place after the incident.

Images: NZone Skydive operations above Queenstown (top) and Californian man Tyler Nii has been missing in Lake Wakatipu since last Wednesday (below).

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