Dunedin man Jeff Donaldson was driving the jet-boat involved in a fatal accident on the upper stretches of the Matukituki River on Friday.
English-born doctor Paul Joseph Woods (29), formerly of Liverpool, died in front of his partner when the jet-boat in which he was travelling hit a gravel bank and flipped.
Dr Woods came to Otago in 2005 as a surgical registrar. He worked for two years at Dunedin Hospital.
For the past year he had been a postgraduate student at the University of Otago, working towards a master of medical science degree.
His partner, Dr Leanne Tonney, who works at Dunedin Hospital's emergency department, injured her hand in the accident.
She was airlifted by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital with her brother Dave, who received lower leg injuries in the crash.
Mr Tonney underwent surgery on Saturday night.
Maritime Safety NZ spokesman Ross Henderson confirmed to the Otago Daily Times yesterday that the New Zealand jet-boating association (NZJBA) president had been interviewed by two crash investigators about his driving.
"We've spoken to him as part of our wider investigation," he said.
Mr Donaldson was taking part in a recreational trip up the Matukituki River with two other boats, Mr Henderson said.
Mr Donaldson could not be contacted by the ODT yesterday.
Constable Mike Johnston said Mr Donaldson's driving was "not a line of police inquiry".
The Queenstown Lakes District Council is conducting a separate inquiry into the accident.
The drivers of the jet-boats could face charges under a council waterways bylaw, district council harbourmaster Marty Black confirmed.
The jet-boat drivers may face charges of careless use, or be issued with fines of $500, Mr Black said.
The three boats were probably breaking a 5-knot bylaw speed limit, which exists on the Matukituki River upstream of the Glenfinnan Training Works, he said.
"They [jet-boats] could not possibly travel upstream [against the river flow] without exceeding 5 knots."
The Glenfinnan Training Works is a failed Otago Regional Council floodworks scheme, scheduled for removal in March.
Mr Black said the 5-knot speed limit existed because of safety concerns about the floodworks structure and not because the river was dangerous.
Jet-boat users were "definitely" allowed to travel past the structure, but were required to observe the 5-knot speed limit, he said.
"The river has changed course over time and now flows around the structure.
Jet-boat users don't have to travel through it."
An amendment to the council's waterways bylaw has been drafted to lift the speed limit when the regional council removes the Glenfinnan works.
Mr Donaldson has more than 40 years' experience driving jet-boats and became president of the JBNZA in July.
Mr Donaldson's jet-boating association colleagues declined to comment yesterday.
"We [the association] won't be making any comment until after Maritime NZ and the police have conducted their investigation," JBNZA vice-president Clive Workman, of Nelson, said.
Dunedin Hospital duty co-ordinator Wayne McLachlan last night said the Tonneys remained in hospital and were both progressing favourably.
