The young man died after losing his footing by the side of the motorway and falling into a creek during an early morning pit stop. 19-year-old Cameron Cumming fell into a river running alongside the Tairua Whitianga Road near the town of Coromandel in New Zealand.
Residents in the area told local media “It was an absolute tragedy and I feel for his family but also the friends with him,
“His friends were frantically trying to find him but they haven’t been able to so they’ve called emergency services straight away.”
New Zealand police named the teenage fatality in a statement and offered their condolences to Cumming’s family.
The accident is believed to have occurred at around 2.40 am on Thursday, January 19.
Emergency services reported being alerted to an incident in which a person was missing in a body of water.
They confirmed fire crews responded to the call-out along with an ambulance to recover and treat the young man.
In total, Three fire trucks were sent from nearby Whitianga and departed the scene by 4.33 am after which time Cumming’s body had been recovered.
Gene and Nicole Bryant who worked in construction along with Cumming’s told Stuff the teenager had been like a “second son.”
Mr Bryant explained that Cumming had begun working for the couple for work experience before taking up a job.
A near the Waiwawa River told local media “It was an absolute tragedy and I feel for his family but also the friends with him.
“His friends were frantically trying to find him but they haven’t been able to so they’ve called emergency services straight away.”
