Decision soon over party launch death

Claire Tynan and Darren Grace. Photo / Supplied

Police hope to decide soon whether charges will be laid over the death of a man at a Christmas party aboard a luxury boat a year ago.

Darren Perry Grace, 40, died on December 18 last year aboard the Quest II, which had been hired for the Pacific Hygiene Ltd Christmas Party.

He was invited to the party by his partner Claire Tynan, who worked for the company, and collapsed about 90 minutes after the boat left its berth.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Hooper said the decision had been delayed because key staff were diverted to other cases, including the Carmen Thomas murder.

"We anticipate we will be back on the investigation early in the New Year."

Hooper said the file had been reviewed by the police legal services unit, and the final reports he had requested were now available.

Hooper said Grace's family understood the reasons for the hold-up.

"They have been brilliant. They do understand some of the hold-ups and understand they are out of our control."

Hooper would not indicate if charges would be laid over Grace's death.

Pacific Hygiene Ltd did not return calls to the Herald on Sunday about their plan for this year's party.

Grace's death followed a Christmas party death in Auckland in 2000.

Remuera man Gareth MacFadyen, 24, died in Middlemore Hospital three days after his synthetic Hawaiian grass skirt was allegedly set alight at a Christmas party for the staff of sharebroker Merrill Lynch.

Matthew Schofield, 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter.