Coroner rules diving death near East Cape was preventable

Thursday 27 November 2025 · 3 outlets · 2 reports · updated Thu 27 Nov 2025, 5:00am

In this story Katharine Greig

The death of 43-year-old Aaron Matthews while diving for seafood in 2022 was preventable, according to a coroner. The ruling stated that inexperience and a lack of sufficient training contributed to the drowning near Lottin Point.

How they headlined it

5am

1. NZ HeraldThu 27 Nov 2025, 5:00am

   Coroner finds diving death of Aaron Matthews near East Cape was preventable (opens in new tab)

   Also on RNZ (opens in new tab)

2. StuffThu 27 Nov 2025, 5:00am

   Diving death of ‘great guy, partner and dad’ was ‘sadly’ preventable (opens in new tab)