Post-mortem to determine how diver died

A diver at the sunken cruiseship Mikhail Lermontov in Port Gore in the Marlborough Sounds. Photo / Richard Robinson

A post-mortem on Monday will determine how a Russian tourist died during a dive trip yesterday in the Marlborough Sounds.

The 58-year-old woman died in Port Gore, a bay at the northern end of the sounds, about midday yesterday.

She was an experienced diver with a Russian dive club touring New Zealand.

The group had been on a guided tour of the sunken cruiseliner Mikhail Lermontov with Dive Picton NZ.

Sergeant Kris Payne of Picton police told NZPA the woman had been in the water for a short time before returning to the boat when, for unknown reasons, she collapsed and died.

A post-mortem would be carried out on Monday to determine the cause of death, he said.

Police were still trying to confirm the woman's identity and notify her next of kin in Russia. Efforts had been delayed as the country celebrated Christmas on January 7, he said.

The woman's death had been referred to the coroner.

The Department of Labour and Maritime New Zealand had also been notified, but whether they would investigate would depend of the outcome of the post-mortem, Mr Payne said.

In a statement Dive Picton owners, Ben and Dale Ashworth, said a paramedic and several qualified staff had attended the woman after she collapsed on their dive boat, Ruku.

"Unfortunately after a long period of resuscitation she was unable to be revived."

The Ashworths did not want to speculate on the cause of death, but said the company was cooperating fully with all authorities.

"We are very sad that a woman has passed away during her holiday through New Zealand... We feel deeply for her family that is so far away and our thoughts are with them."

The Mikhail Lermontov sank in 1986 after striking a reef, claiming the life of one crewman.

- NZPA