No inquiry into tourist's dolphin swim death

A tourist's death while swimming with dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds will not be investigated by the Department of Labour and Maritime New Zealand.

Emily May Harper, 27, from Denver, Colorado, was thought to have died from natural causes as she swam in Tory Channel on October 20.

Department spokesman Colin Patterson said it would not investigate further as Ms Harper was believed to have died of natural causes, The Marlborough Express reported.

He said the death was a police matter.

Maritime New Zealand spokesman Ross Henderson said investigators found the death did not fall into their jurisdiction.

Coroner Sue Johnson said a provisional post mortem suggested Miss Harper died of natural causes, but she was waiting on test results before making a ruling.

Ms Harper, on a Dolphin Watch EcoTours trip with fiance Matthew Hawkins, his mother Sandra and his brother Andrew, died after jumping into the sea with others.

A doctor on the trip and coastguard rescue workers were unable to revive her.

- NZPA