Coroner rules orchard worker's electrocution was an accident

Thursday 27 February 2025 · 4 outlets · 4 reports · updated Thu 27 Feb 2025, 6:45pm

In this story WorkSafe New Zealand

Coroner Heidi Wrigley has determined that Falaniko Ah Lin's 2019 death in a Napier orchard was an accident. While WorkSafe previously attributed the electrocution to a failure to take reasonable care, the coroner's findings suggest distraction or a medical event may have caused the cherry picker to contact power lines.

How they headlined it

10h4h

5am2:30pm6:08pm

1. StuffThu 27 Feb 2025, 5:00am

   Electrocuted orchard worker: WorkSafe and coroner at odds about accident (opens in new tab)

2. NZ HeraldThu 27 Feb 2025, 2:30pm

   Coroner finds Napier orchard worker Falaniko Ah Li was possibly distracted or ill before electrocution (opens in new tab)

3. RNZThu 27 Feb 2025, 6:08pm

   Electrocuted worker warned about power lines moments before death (opens in new tab)

4. Otago Daily TimesThu 27 Feb 2025, 6:45pm

   Electrocuted orchard worker's death an 'accident' (opens in new tab)