Cause of diver's death unknown

TRAGEDY: Michael Siemonek was found dead in a shallow tidal area at Tora on Sunday.

Family and friends were gathering yesterday at the Carterton home of a man who died while paua diving at the South Wairarapa coast on Sunday.

Michael Siemonek, 49, was found dead in a shallow tidal area not far from the shore at Tora about 1pm on Sunday.

Senior Sergeant Mike Sutton said the man had been at the South Wairarapa beach with family and friends, who had found him.

Police were not treating the incident as suspicious although the cause of death was still unknown, and the possibility of a serious medical event had yet to be ruled out, Mr Sutton said.

The death had been referred to the coroner, he said.

Life Flight was called and the Westpac rescue Helicopter had been scrambled to Tora, Life Flight spokesman Sebastian Grodd said.

The helicopter landed in a nearby paddock but the rescue team was stood down soon afterward and returned to base in the capital.

Family and friends were yesterday gathering at the Siemonek family home in Carterton when the Times-Age called. A family spokeswoman requested privacy.