A man has died after getting into difficulty while free diving off Opau Bay, near Wellington.
Wellington Free Ambulance was called to the scene about 11.30am on Saturday.
A spokesperson for the service says the man was airlifted to Wellington Hospital by the Westpac Rescue helicopter in a critical condition.
He died a short time later in the emergency department of the Hospital.
It's not yet clear how the diver got into difficulty in the water.