Police name woman who died snowboarding

Police have named the woman who died on Mount Ruapehu yesterday.

Adele Joanne Sawyer, a 29-year-old graphic designer from Wellington was snowboarding at Turoa in an area known as the Organ Pipes with two others, when she slipped and fell into a hole.

Police are describing the incident as a tragic accident.

Sergeant Graeme Rumble says it appears the woman got into difficulty when she reached the lip of a drop-off and was uncomfortable continuing on her intended course due to a hole in the snow caused by an underground stream.

But he says when she tried to climb back up she slipped and fell about 15 metres into the hole.

Medical staff tried to resuscitate the woman without success. The full circumstances are still being investigated by police and Ms Sawyer's death has been referred to the coroner.

- Newstalk ZB with NZHERALD STAFF