A 25-year-old man has been arrested at Sydney airport after arriving in Australia from New Zealand.

The man was wanted in relation to the death of a 29-year-old Canadian woman who died as a result of injuries she received when she was burnt by helicopter fuel at Kings Creek Station in 2004.

On April 15, 2004, the victim was among a group of people drinking at the staff quarters at the station. The woman was injured when one of two improvised lanterns was being refilled. Police said the alleged offender was pouring aviation fuel into a sand-filled beer can when the fuel caught alight causing him to drop the jar which then splashed over the victim and caused severe burns.

The woman was medivaced to Royal Adelaide Hospital where she died on May 27, 2004.

Police from Alice Springs investigated the incident and an arrest warrant was issued for the alleged offender on March 2005. However, the man had left Australia for New Zealand in the meantime, and as there was no reciprocal offence existing in New Zealand at the time he could not be arrested. An alert was placed on the man's name by the Department of Immigration so police would be notified should the man try to re-enter the country.

Detectives from the Casuarina Investigations Unit received notification from the Department of Immigration yesterday that the man was being detained at Sydney Airport after arriving from New Zealand.

The man appeared in the Sydney Magistrates Court today where he was bailed to appear again on August 28 at which time Northern Territory Police will make an application for extradition. The man was required to relinquish his passport.

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