Fatality off of northern New Zealand

[DandyDon]

From Diver found dead in the Far North - National - NZ Herald News

A diver has been found dead in the Far North. Police Northern Communications inspector Matt Rogers says they were advised of a male diver missing off Motorua Island near Russell just after 2pm this afternoon.
"Unfortunately a person was located dead in the water whilst the search was being conducted. It is my understanding that it was the diver they were looking for," he says.
Inspector Rogers said police and the coroner are at the scene talking to friends of the deceased.

 

[Diver71_au]

What a terrible year for NZ - by my count this now makes 7 Scuba deaths and 7 snorkel deaths since Jan 1 (and a further 3 snorkel deaths in Dec 2010) in a country with a population of just over 4 million people (or around the same population as the entire state of Queensland or Melbourne)

 

[DandyDon]

I hope this is the same fatality, and not a new one. Visitor dies in Bay dive tragedy | Northland News | Local News in Northland

A 37-year-old Auckland man has died while diving in the Bay of Islands.

The man was diving with friends on the seaward side of Moturua Island, about 8km northeast of Russell, yesterday afternoon when he appeared to get into difficulty.

Sergeant Peter Masters, of Paihia police, said the man had been diving with a buddy for about 15 minutes when the pair briefly became separated.

When the man surfaced he was in difficulty, but he disappeared again.

Emergency services were notified immediately and, alerted by Russell Radio and Coastguard Radio, several boats raced to the location.

Among the boaties were four off-duty police officers from Auckland and Hamilton who had been taking part in a fishing tournament.

They helped locate the man, recover him from the bottom and take him to a boat.

The Northland Electricity rescue helicopter arrived about the same time and lowered a paramedic on to the deck, but the man could not be revived.

Mr Masters said the death had been referred to the coroner, who would determine the cause.

The man was from Auckland but is believed to have family members in Whangarei and friends in the Bay of Islands.

 

[knowone]

I also live in hope as the paua population prayers