Key Takeaways
- Maureen Goodman and her partner George Luke were caught between landslides on the Taihape‑Napier Road during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.
- With no cellphone coverage, they abandoned their vehicle and walked for hours in heavy rain, enduring exhaustion, hypothermia, and Luke’s diabetic complications.
- Luke shielded Maureen from falling debris and gave her his jacket, ultimately succumbing to hypothermia and organ failure after being stranded alone.
- Maureen survived by navigating forestry tracks, using natural signs (a bird, a deer, an empty bottle) and eventually flagging down a passer‑who‑provided rescue.
- The coronial inquiry, led by Coroner Erin Woolley, examines 19 deaths linked to the extreme weather events, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.
Overview of the Tragedy and Ongoing Inquiry
George Luke died in Hastings Hospital after being stranded between landslides on the Taihape‑Napier Road during Cyclone Gabrielle. His partner, Maureen Goodman, survived the ordeal and later testified before Coroner Erin Woolley, who is conducting a long‑running coronial inquiry into 19 deaths associated with the cyclone and the preceding Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods. The inquiry seeks to understand the circumstances of each fatality and to recommend measures that could keep people safe in future extreme weather events.
Journey into the Storm‑Struck Area
On the night of 13 February 2023, Goodman and Luke were driving home to Hawke’s Bay from Rotorua as Cyclone Gabrielle swept down the North Island. Finding the Taupō‑Napier highway closed, they detoured through Waiouru and onto the Taihape‑Napier Road. Around 11:45 p.m. they encountered a slip that blocked the road; while attempting to reverse and turn around, the slope behind them collapsed, trapping the vehicle between two landslides.
Isolation and the Decision to Leave the Vehicle
The remote location offered no cellphone coverage, leaving the couple unable to call for assistance. Fearing that another slide could strike their car, Goodman and Luke agreed to abandon the vehicle and walk toward help. They set out on foot, negotiating debris and fresh slips while rain continued to fall, knowing that staying put posed an imminent danger.
The Harrowing Trek and Luke’s Protective Acts
By 4 a.m. on 14 February, the pair were cold, exhausted, and hearing ominous rumbling from the slope above. Luke covered Goodman with his body and placed his leather jacket over her to shield her from falling trees and to retain warmth. Their progress was agonizingly slow; they constantly stepped over loose earth and fallen branches, all while battling the elements and the growing fear of being buried alive.
Disorientation and Luke’s Deterioration
When daylight arrived, Goodman and Luke found themselves on a hill above the road, mistakenly believing they were scaling a large slip. Luke, aged 65, lost his shoes in the mud and could not push through dense blackberry bushes toward a nearby river. He stopped, and Goodman left him to press forward in search of help. By this time Luke, a diabetic without his medication, began hallucinating, further compromising his ability to survive.
Maureen’s Solo Struggle for Survival
Goodman spent the next two nights trying to find a route out, sipping water from tree leaves, wandering forestry tracks, and at one point wading through a waist‑deep flooded paddock. When darkness fell she constructed a makeshift bivouac to preserve body heat. She spoke aloud to her deceased mother for guidance, recited the Lord’s Prayer in Māori, and interpreted natural signs—a chirping bird, a crossing deer, and an empty energy‑drink bottle she cleaned, filled with water, and used as a marker—to keep her spirits up and to note her path for rescuers.
Rescue, Luke’s Recovery, and His Death
Following the bottle marker, Goodman heard a voice and saw a figure beyond a final landslide. She called for help; a young woman named Monica responded, using the term “Whaea” (a term of respect for an older woman) and assisted Goodman over the last landslide, gave her water, and drove her to road workers. Goodman informed them that Luke remained stranded. A rescue helicopter airlifted her to hospital the same day, and Luke was located and flown out shortly thereafter. Despite the rapid rescue, Luke succumbed to hypothermia and multiple organ failure in Hastings Hospital.
Aftermath, Guilt, and Coroner’s Reassurance
Reunited briefly in the hospital, Goodman felt guilty for leaving Luke behind, believing she had abandoned him to die alone. Coroner Woolley reassured her, stating that everything Goodman did to aid her partner was extraordinary and that self‑blame was unwarranted. Goodman paid tribute to Luke, a respected rugby league stalwart and coach, describing him as “taken far too soon” but remembered for his love, kindness, and devotion to his whānau.
Broader Significance of the Coronial Inquiry
Coroner Erin Woolley’s inquiry into the 19 deaths linked to Cyclone Gabrielle and the earlier Auckland floods aims to uncover systemic gaps in emergency response, communication, and public safety messaging during extreme weather. By examining cases like Goodman and Luke’s, the inquiry hopes to identify actionable changes—such as improved road‑closure protocols, better remote‑area alert systems, and community education—that could prevent future loss of life when nature’s fury strikes. The testimony of survivors like Maureen Goodman provides a vital human perspective that will shape recommendations intended to keep others from enduring similar ordeals.