3.30pm
UPDATE - A Christchurch mother who died when a family caving adventure in the Southern Alps went wrong was today named as Noelleen Merle O'Brien.
The 40-year-old died at Cave Stream near Arthur's Pass yesterday afternoon before rescue teams could reach her.
Her husband Peter O'Brien and their two children Julian, eight, and Jude, 13, were airlifted to Christchurch Hospital suffering from hypothermia. They were treated and discharged.
Mrs O'Brien's death had been referred to the Christchurch coroner, Inspector Warren Kemp of the police southern communications centre told NZPA today.
A post-mortem examination was carried out last night and police had to wait for a report.
"We can't really go summising what happened, of any failure on their part, nature, or anything else. That is for the coroner to determine," Mr Kemp said.
The O'Brien family entered the limestone cave at Cave Stream, off State Highway 73, about 11am.
Mr O'Brien came out about 2pm and told a track worker that his wife, whom he believed was dead, and his two children were still in the cave.
Rescuers waded in with the water level varying between knee and chest height.
Helped by Mr O'Brien, they found Mrs O'Brien and her children in some water on a ridge.
Darfield police said conditions in the area at the time were freezing, with a water temperature of 5degC and an air temperature of 5-6degC. It was understood the family ran out of torchlight and the caves were very dark.
Cave Stream is a one-way walk 360m long, through water all the way.
- NZPA
Woman dies in caving incident, family suffers hypothermia
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