Man dies at Royal Darwin Hospital while in Australian Federal Police ‘protective custody’

A 68-year-old Aboriginal man has died after being taken into Australian Federal Police ‘protective custody’ at Darwin International airport. READ THE LATEST.

A man has died while in the custody of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Picture: Blake Foden

A 68-year-old man has died after being taken into ‘protective custody’ by Australian Federal Police at Darwin airport, sparking a second death in police custody investigation in just 12 days.

NT Police confirmed the elderly Aboriginal man died in Royal Darwin Hospital on Saturday, following nine days in the Royal Darwin Hospital Intensive Care Unit.

It is alleged Australia Federal Police received reports of an intoxicated 68-year-old man who was unable to board a flight out of Darwin around 1pm, Friday May 30.

An AFP spokesman confirmed that the man was taken into ‘protective custody’ under the public intoxication section of the NT Police Administration Act.

This allows police to “apprehend” a person if it is believed they are intoxicated in a public place, or trespassing on private property and they may not be able to look after themselves, may cause themselves or others harm, could commit an offence or “may intimidate, alarm or cause substantial annoyance to people”.

An AFP spokesman said individuals in ‘protective custody’ are not under arrest and the 68-year-old man was not restrained at any point by AFP officers.

NT Police said he was initially taken to the Palmerston Watchhouse, but before he was admitted a custody sergeant and nurse said he needed to be taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital for further assessment.

“AFP members then transported the man to a Darwin hospital where he could be supervised and monitored while sobering up,” an Australian Federal Police spokesman said.

“During the transportation, the man was monitored and presented no medical concerns.”

However, the AFP said when the man — in the custody of Federal Police — arrived at the hospital he “experienced a sudden and serious medical episode” and lost consciousness.

NT Police said medical staff were immediately alerted and started resuscitation efforts.

A 68-year-old man has died after being taken into ‘protective custody’ by Australian Federal Police at the airport and taken to a Territory watch house. Picture: Che Chorley

He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit in a stable condition for ongoing treatment for what was a suspected medical event.

On Saturday evening it was confirmed that the 68-year-old had passed away, with NT Police now investigating on behalf of the Coroner.

“The cause of the man’s death remains undetermined pending a post mortem,” a police spokesman said.

“His next of kin have been notified.”

Darwin Airport has also been contacted for comment.

The flight logs from May 30 indicate around the time of the incident at the Darwin Airport, passengers were boarding flights to Brisbane and Cairns, however the NT News has not yet received confirmation where the 68-year-old was travelling to.

The Australian Federal Police and Darwin Airport have been contacted for comment.

The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody flagged the dangers of arrests due to public intoxication in 1991, with a Queensland Parliamentary report in 2022 referring to national and international evidence showing a “strong correlation between intoxication and the risk that a person will die in police custody”.

The older man was in the custody of Federal Police when he lost consciousness as they arrived at the hospital, with medical staff immediately alerted to start resuscitation efforts. Picture: DAVID GRAY / AFP

The NT is the only jurisdiction in Australia where public intoxication is a crime, after all other states made reforms to align with the recommendations of the Deaths in Custody Royal Commission.

This is the second death in police custody investigation for the Territory in just 12 days, following the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White on May 27.

The young Warlpiri man with a complex disability died 70 minutes after being restrained to the ground by non-uniformed police officers in the Coles supermarket.

Originally published as Man dies at Royal Darwin Hospital while in Australian Federal Police ‘protective custody’