Kiwi woman dies in Rarotonga after water-based incident at popular tourist spot

A New Zealand woman has died in the Cook Islands while on holiday in a water-based incident.

A Cook Islands Police spokesperson said police received an emergency call shortly after 3pm Cook Islands local time on Tuesday (Wednesday NZ time).

The spokesperson said the 49-year-old woman was responsive at the incident site at Avaavaroa Passage - which is a popular tourist attraction for swimming with turtles - but was pronounced dead at the hospital.

In December, a 50-year-old New Zealand man died in Avaavaroa Passage, which is notorious for drownings in the Cook Islands.

The spokesperson told RNZ Pacific police are still investigating further details, including if the woman was part of a turtle tour when the incident occurred.

They said police are giving the family space who are at their accommodation in Rarotonga.