The father of a 21-year-old British tourist who drowned while taking part in an extreme sport on a dangerous river in New Zealand today paid tribute to his “special” daughter.

Emily Jordan, from Worcestershire, died yesterday when she became trapped between rocks on the Kawarau River, in the south-west of South Island.

She had been riding the river's rapids on a bodyboard - a sport known as river boarding - at the time.

Speaking from their large gated family home in the rural village of Trimpley, near Bewdley, Chris Jordan said the whole family, particularly Ms Jordan's mother Sarah and sister Lucy, were devastated.

He said: “Emily was a very special person. We will be arranging the funeral when we get back next week.

“Her peers from university will be there - she touched their lives, she changed their lives.”

Her former teacher at The Alice Ottley School, an independent girls school which merged with the Worcester Royal Grammar School last year, paid tribute to an “excellent pupil” who was “hard-working and conscientious”.

Jo Marsh, Ms Jordan’s tutor, said: “Emily was full of life. She relished challenges and took advantage of all the opportunities open to her here.

“She was loved by pupils and staff alike and will be sadly missed. Our thoughts are with her family, especially her younger sister who was also a pupil here.”

Ms Jordan left the school to go to university in 2004 after completing A levels in economics, history, Spanish and general studies.

Reports suggested she had been studying for a law degree at Swansea University.

Brad McLeod, owner of the Mad Dog River Boarding Company, described the drowning as his “worst nightmare”. He said that all emergency producers had been followed and he was suspending the business until further notice.

Three guides who were leading the party of ten tourists struggled against a torrent to release Ms Jordan and return her to shore, where they attempted resuscitation. Paramedics arrived soon afterwards but she could not be saved.

“With the force of the water holding her in place…it has taken them approximately 20 minutes to get her untrapped,” Sergeant Stephen Ereckson said.

A British man who is believed to have been Ms Jordan’s boyfriend was among the group when the accident happened in a steep gorge in the Central Otago region.

Sergeant Ereckson said that police would investigate the death, which was the first related to river boarding in the area.

“It’s a pretty full-on river so I would assume she would be a young thrill-seeker,” an emergency services spokeswoman said.

The Mad Dog River Boarding Company’s website warns that river boarding is a “serious adventure activity”.

It cautions: “Strict safety procedures are observed, however there still remains an element of risk, and the operator cannot absolutely guarantee participants’ safety.”

Ms Jordan’s death comes just two weeks after six students and a teacher from a school in Auckland were killed when they were swept down a flooded river on North Island.

Her family was today preparing to fly out to New Zealand, police said.

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