22 Jan 2014

Death of DoC volunteer preventable - coroner

9:37 pm on 22 January 2014

A coroner has found the death of a Department of Conservation volunteer at Raoul Island was preventable.

Mihai Muncas-Nagy is presumed to have drowned while checking the sea temperature on the Island, 1000km north-east of Auckland, two years ago.

Coroner Brandt Shortland says may aspects of the death remain a mystery but Mr Muncas-Nagy probably panicked when he fell, fully clothed, off rocks.

Mr Shortland has not made any recommendations, saying that DoC - which has already been earlier convicted over health and safety failings - has made many changes to improve safety.

They include water training for all staff and volunteers on Raoul Island and an automated process for taking the water temperature.