Coronial inquest to probe 2016 death of Melbourne woman Elly Warren in Africa

After years of private investigations, a coronial inquest will be held into the death of Elly Warren who died while volunteering in Africa.

Elly Warren died while volunteering in Mozambique.

A coronial inquest will be held into the death of young Melbourne woman Elly Warren, more than four years after she died while volunteering in Africa.

Victorian coroner Darren Bracken said a date would be set for the inquest on February 2.

He asked Australian Federal Police (AFP) to provide an update on the progress of the criminal investigation into Ms Warren’s death by Mozambique authorities at, or before, that time.

Mr Bracken said it was important to know the status of the Mozambique investigation before commencing Victorian Coroner’s Court proceedings, because it would be “inappropriate and a disaster” if it was impeded in any way.

The AFP flagged it could apply to suppress some information related to the case.

The inquest into Ms Warren’s death comes after years of private investigations by her grieving family.

Melbourne woman Elly Warren was killed in Mozambique. Picture: Supplied

The 20 year-old aspiring marine biologist was found face down in the sand behind a Tofo toilet block in the early hours of November 9, 2016.

She had been volunteering on a marine conservation project and enjoying the holiday of a lifetime before her death.

Multiple forensic examinations revealed Ms Warren died from asphyxia, after inhaling sand into her lower airways, and had no drugs in her system.

Abrasions were found on her neck, and also bruising on her mouth and in the muscles on the left-hand side of her neck, but there were no clear signs of a struggle or attack.

Ms Warren’s mother, Nicole Cafarella and stepfather David Cafarella, said they hoped the inquest would provide “answers to the many questions that have, until now, been unanswered”.

“We still hope to, one day, get the justice Elly deserves,” Ms Cafarella said.