Dad of drowned man says his heart ‘broke’ when another body found
The father of a young man who is believed to have drowned in Wellington harbour said he was dismayed to learn of another body being found in the water, almost a year after his son’s death.
A year ago, Christchurch teacher Isaac Levings’ body was found in Wellington Harbour, after being reported missing for two days.
It is believed Levings drowned near the Te Papa area of the harbour after attending a concert by the band 1975, although no coroner’s findings have been published.
Charles Levings said his “heart dropped” after reading another body had been found in Wellington Harbour, albeit on the other side, near Eastbourne.
While the body’s location was across the harbour from where his son was found, the incident took place almost a year to the day his son had died, Levings said.
“It broke my heart to go and see another dead body found in the harbour. Almost a year after our son's body was found, it was pretty, pretty sore.”
Levings said the anniversary of his son’s death just brought home that additional safety measures needed to be added to
Wellington harbour, including proper lighting and balustrades.
He said it was upsetting to see, despite temporary barriers being installed for the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, not much had been done to the area.
A safety report completed by Stephenson & Turner in September 2022 found the harbour area near Te Papa had inadequate lighting, with The Post finding some lights near Te Papa had water in them in July, 2023. Levings and his family had recently gotten together to celebrate Isaac’s life and it had been joyful, but the grief still lingered, he said.
“You never cope with it, you know? You learn to live with it.”
Isaac Levings was the ninth person found in Wellington Harbour since 2006, following Daniel Hansman, Olivia Rutherford, Renee Hudson, Finbarr Clabby, Cory Pearson, an unidentified woman, Sarah Mayne, and Sandy Calkin in 2021.
The inquest for Calkin, who is believed to have drowned near the same area Levings did in 2021, will be held in August.
The Post reported the body of a woman wearing activewear, aged between 60 and 70 was found in the water of Māhina Bay, near Eastbourne, Sunday morning.
A police spokesperson said the woman was still unidentified, and inquiries were ongoing to determine the circumstances that led to her body being found.