CI police investigate death of woman at Raro Reef

Cook Islands police are investigating the death of a woman on Tuesday in Rarotonga.

Police spokesman Trevor Pitt told Cook Islands News they were waiting for a medical certificate before passing the file on to the coroner.

Pitt also stressed that it is not yet confirmed whether the woman drowned, but there are reports that she died after swimming towards the coral reef.

“So far we have not confirmed the cause of death of a woman who died yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon,” Pitt said yesterday.

“We have received reports that a female has died after entering the reef. Unless police receive a medical report from the hospital, I won’t know more. As of now, I don’t know where we are now.”

When asked in what area the incident took place, Pitt said the woman was in the town area.

“I wouldn’t use the word drowning. I don’t know of any suspicion that she drowned. I heard she was in the township.”

In late June this year, an 80-year-old British citizen died while swimming in Muri Lagoon while on holiday with his wife in Rarotonga.

Police said the cause of death “may have been drowning or it may have been due to an underlying medical condition…it may have been caused by an underlying cause.”

In May this year, a 49-year-old New Zealand woman died in a water accident while on holiday in Rarotonga.

The woman was pronounced dead at hospital after the incident, which reportedly took place at the Avaavaroa Passage, a popular tourist attraction for swimming with turtles.