Murray McCully

By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, June 1 NZPA - A New Zealander who was on board a Gaza-bound flotilla stormed by Israeli troops is in custody but unharmed, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says.

Israeli marines stormed a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza on Monday and 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed, triggering a diplomatic crisis and an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council.

Some reports put the toll higher, saying 19 were killed.

The Government has condemned the violence but steered away from placing blame. Mr McCully would pass on concerns today to Israeli ambassador Shemi Tzur.

Opposition leader Phil Goff condemned the action, saying a disproportionate amount of force had been used.

The detained woman worked for a British non-governmental organisation, Mr McCully said.

"But I can't give you further details. We've checked with the family and they want to keep that information private... We understand she is now in Israeli custody but is safe and well. We are pursuing all the usual lines of consular activity to make contact with her."

It had taken all night to confirm that the woman was being held and confirmation was only made recently.

Consular access was expected to be obtained shortly.

Officials were working with working with authorities from Israel, Turkey, Britain and others. New Zealand does not have an ambassador in Israel but has one based in Ankara, Turkey.

"It's been difficult as they (various countries' officials) have been trying to deal with significant fall out from the incident."

Prime Minister John Key said New Zealand needed to "find out actually what's gone on here. We would join with other countries in requesting a full investigation to see what's actually taken place, but clearly 10 people have lost their lives, that's tragic and it's unacceptable."

Mr McCully said he had called in Mr Tzur.

"I will be conveying the strength of New Zealand's concerns on this matter."

He will give an update after speaking to him. New Zealand had condemned the bloodshed but had not directly criticised Israel.

Green MP Keith Locke said that was weak.

"This is not the time to pussy foot around and send indirect messages to Israel. It was a murderous assault in international waters."

Other countries had not been so careful in their responses, Mr Locke said.

Mr McCully said the UN Security Council was now in closed session and would consider how to proceed with a full investigation.

New Zealand representatives were monitoring talks. New Zealand's position was in line with "mainstream international opinion" so far, Mr McCully said.

"We've done what many others have done which is to call for a full and immediate investigation into the incident and the causes of it."

New Zealand would consider the results of the investigation and would not prejudge it, he said.

"There has been a serious and bloody incident. People have lost their lives, what we've got to deal with immediately is the aftermath of that.

"That requires in New Zealand's case being able to get access to one of our own citizens who was caught up in it.

"I don't want to get into a wider slanging match around Middle Eastern politics suffice it to say that this tragic incident does underline the unsustainability of the situation in the Gaza."

Ten activists died on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish cruise ship carrying 581 people, after commandos came under fire, including with weapons the activists snatched from the boarding party.

European nations, the UN, and Turkey voiced outrage at the bloody end to the bid to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Six ships were ferrying 700 people and 10,000 tonnes of supplies toward the Islamist-run Palestinian enclave.