'Fabulous guy' killed in plane crash
Ivan van de Water. Photo: Majorie Cook
Gore is reeling after confirmation a 'well-respected' member of the community was the person killed in Saturday’s plane crash.Gore is reeling after confirmation a 'well-respected' member of the community was the person killed in Saturday’s plane crash.
Ivan Van de Water died when the light aircraft crashed in a remote part of the Dingleburn Valley, east of Lake Hāwea and north of Wānaka on Saturday afternoon.
Pilot community shocked by fatal crash
Central Otago man Don Grant had to be cut from the wreckage of the plane. He was flown to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition.
Former long serving mayor Tracy Hicks said the news on both men had come as a devastating shock to him and the wider community.
“I was devastated when I heard about Ivan and Don as well, it is not over for him yet either.”
Mr Grant is in critical condition at the Dunedin hospital.
Hicks has known Mr Van de Water for over 40 years and said he and his wife Miriam had been heavily involved in the community.
“He has, over the years, done a really good job on the main street. They had both worked really hard, tirelessly connecting a lot of retailers together.”
Van de Water and his wife Miriam owned the Van de Waters jewellers shop in Gore from 1983 to 2021.
Don Grant. Photo: Marjorie Cook
“He did a pretty good job with that, Ivan was a good clear thinker, I really enjoyed speaking with him.”“He did a pretty good job with that, Ivan was a good clear thinker, I really enjoyed speaking with him.”
Hicks described him as someone who was well respected and had a lot of wisdom.
“He never raised his voice, as he never needed to. Ivan was someone with a lot of wisdom, and he actually cared about people.”
Mr Van de Water had only in the past couple of years moved to Wanaka to retire. He and Mr Grant were good friends.
Hicks said it was no surprise the two friends were out flying together.
“I think he and Don had been doing a bit of flying, they get on very well, no surprise they were in a plane together.”
He described both men as responsible and careful people.
Mr Grant was a “real character” and a twin with Gore’s Doug Grant. They had both attended the Mataura school reunion just two weeks ago.
Current mayor Ben Bell said the news had struck the wider community over the weekend, and in particular several of his councillors who knew the Van de Waters well.
“It is a huge loss to the Gore community and my heart goes out to the Van de water family. It is a shock for the community. They devoted a lot of their life to promoting Gore."
The council would remember Mr Van de Water at a minute’s silence at Tuesday’s meeting, Bell said.
He also wished Mr Grant a warm recovery.
Gore District Council deputy mayor Keith Hovell said the community was in shock about Mr Van de Water’s death.
‘‘Ivan was a well-respected person in the community,’’ Hovell said.
‘‘He operated a shop on the main street for close to 40 years, and for those people who dealt with him in the shop, an extremely patient man. He was a delight to deal with.’’
Mr Hovell said van de Water was also active in promoting Gore's main street, and since he retired, his input had been missed.
‘‘But our extreme sympathy goes out to the family. It's such a tragic loss, and also our prayers for the surviving person may he make a speedy recovery.’’
Mr Hovell said he had received several calls about Mr van de Water’s death, which indicated the depth of feeling the community had for him.
He would talk to mayor Mr Bell about possibly including something as a tribute to van de Water at the next council meeting.
Warbirds Over Wānaka Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said the pilot community was in shock about what happened.
He said Mr Grant was ‘‘a fabulous guy’’.
‘‘He was involved with the last Warbirds over Wānaka Air Show in 2024 as our volunteer manager, and he did such an amazing job — he's already signed up to be back in the role in 2026.
‘‘So we're just wishing him all the best for a speedy recovery, really.’’
Mr Taylor said Mr Grant was full of ideas.
‘‘Don's an older guy, and to take on the role as a volunteer manager and marshalling 300 volunteers for the week leading into the show and over the show itself, the volunteers just loved him.
‘‘He's a can-do guy and he's always happy and he's always positive — he had some fantastic ideas how we can improve the experience for our volunteers for the next air show.
‘‘So, he very much loved it because he's a very people person. That's what made him just perfect for the role.
‘‘We're just hoping that he can recover and come back and be our volunteer manager next year.’’