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Authorities have agreed to a less intrusive autopsy of an Israeli tourist on cultural grounds, despite the limitations it could present in determining how he died.
Ohad Dotan, 26, of Tel Aviv, died after a fall while tramping near the Mueller Glacier in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park. The backpacker's body was recovered on Wednesday and taken to Christchurch for the standard post-mortem examination by a pathologist to determine the cause of death and any other details to assist police investigators.
But Christchurch rabbi Menachem Goldstein, acting as a liaison between the Israeli Embassy in Canberra and New Zealand authorities, asked that a "limited autopsy" be carried out, to which he said the Christchurch coroner agreed.
"I was very pleased with their honouring of this request," Mr Goldstein told the Herald. "There's a Jewish tradition that the body has to be treated with utmost dignity and respect. And that would mean to ensure the body isn't cut or altered in any way, unless absolutely necessary."
Acting chief coroner Gordon Matenga said it was an issue arising frequently for coroners around New Zealand, with many cultures and religions having strong beliefs around the treatment of bodies.
Coroners had powers to order limited or partial autopsies where requests were made by families or representatives. "Sometimes we have to go against the wishes of the family. And other times we can go against the wishes of the pathologists," he said.
"There are some pathologists who are not happy, it would be fair to say, to do anything less than a full post mortem because anything less means they cannot rule out other possibilities [in a death].
"That's a fair opinion to hold."
The issue arose with another Israeli tourist, Liat Okin, 35, who died near Fiordland's Routeburn Track last April.
When her body was found, the Jewish community raised the same concerns about the post mortem. Mr Goldstein said a "light autopsy" was also performed in that case.
Mr Matenga said coroners had to weigh social or religious beliefs against the need to establish the cause of a death and evidence that police might rely on in a prosecution.
If, during a limited autopsy, evidence was found that required a fuller examination, then further discussion would take place and possibly a "change in authority" would occur.
Mr Goldstein said Mr Dotan's body was expected to be returned to his parents and two sisters in Israel, who were "devastated" by news of his death.
