The sudden death of Tauranga man Graeme Murray has shocked Coastguard members across New Zealand.


Graeme Murray.

Graeme served as Coastguard eastern region manager until his death at the end of October.

Coastguard CEO Bruce Reid says the entire national organisation is ‘stunned' by Graeme's death.

'It was just so incredibly sad. There's a fair bit of grief to work through,” says Bruce.

He says Graeme not only helped transform Coastguard in the Bay of Plenty but also made positive changes nationally.

'Graeme has just been a massive part of the organisation for so many years.

'He really moved the organisation forward, making us as strong as we are now.”

Current laws prevent media from reporting how Graeme died.

Bruce says he and other senior members of Coastguard management have met with Graeme's family.

'It's been tough for us but it's even tougher for his family. We were just asking ourselves how this happened.”

Bruce says he is uneasy about rumours of misconduct targeted at Graeme.

There was an internal Coastguard enquiry into an employment issue regarding Graeme but Bruce says it was 'pretty minor stuff”.

'We have been working through a disciplinary matter but that was just down to a conflict of interest and that relates to a few years ago, it really was just to establish some facts.”

The issue did not get resolved before Graeme's death, although Bruce says it was delayed because he was overseas for 10 days.

Bruce is urging people to call him at Coastguard headquarters in Auckland before circulating rumours about Graeme.