Man who jumped off Auckland ferry was newspaper editor

An Auckland man who died today after jumping from the Devonport Ferry on Sunday was the former editor of an Auckland newspaper.

Simon Johnston, 53, died in hospital today, his death shocking the 14 staff of the small newspaper, where he was editor until December last year.

"It is a bit of a shock, we're just trying to deal with it, he was a lovely guy," office manager Dianne Handyside told NZPA.

Mr Johnston, the former editor of the Gulf News on Waiheke Island, rushed through an exit door and attempted to jump off the ferry, back onto the wharf, while it was leaving the terminal, witnesses told police.

A Fullers crewman alerted the rest of the crew, then put on a lifejacket and jumped into the water to help.

Mr Johnston was rescued from the sea by the Coastguard and resuscitated, before being taken to North Shore Hospital for treatment to a head injury.

Mr Johnston was appointed editor of the Gulf News in 1988 and stayed in the position "on and off" until 1997.

In January 2002 he returned to the paper as reporter and regained the editorship in 2005.

After returning from five weeks stress leave late last year, he decided it was time to leave.

"I wanted a change," he told the newspaper.

Police today referred his death to the coroner.

- NZPA