Unknown Ōakura fatality - New Zealand

[DandyDon]

Two facts that I really wish reporters would confirm and state, but they usually don't...

1. Was the deceased diving alone? It sounds like he was.
2. Was the deceased found with full gear, including weights? Usually are.

Northland diver dead after being found unresponsive in water

A diver has died at the scene of a "water-related incident" near Whangārei, police say, after they were found unconscious in the water.

www.1news.co.nz

A diver has died at the scene of a "water-related incident" near Whangārei, police say, after they were found unconscious in the water.

Police said officers were alerted to an unresponsive diver who had been retrieved from the water at around 5.20pm. The incident happened off the coast of Ōakura.

"Emergency services attempted to resuscitate them. However, sadly they died at the scene," a police spokesperson said.

"Police are making enquiries on behalf of the coroner."

 

[MB NZ]

The area is just up the road from me. I've dived there a few times. As per previous threads, SCUBA is used largely as a tool locally to collect sea food rather than being seen as a sport/hobby. Also, the media rarely makes a distinction between SCUBA and freediving in these articles.