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ABC News
ABC News
National

Indigenous man dies at Greenough Regional Prison in Western Australia

An Indigenous man has died in a Western Australian prison after collapsing during a game of basketball, according to the state's Department of Justice.

The department confirmed a 45-year-old Aboriginal man collapsed just after 4.30pm on Tuesday at Greenough Regional Prison in the state's Midwest.

A spokesperson from WA's Corrective Services said an ambulance was called but paramedics declared the man dead at the prison.

The spokesperson said prison officers and medical staff had provided first aid to the man.

WA police will file a report for the Coroner and a coronial inquest will be held. 

Second prison death in days

The man's death comes days after an Indigenous female inmate died following a "medical event" at Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison in Perth.

The Department of Justice confirmed the woman, who died on Christmas Eve, had been on life support at Fiona Stanley Hospital since the incident on December 21.

Data from the Australian Institute of Criminology showed there were 27 deaths in custody nationwide in the July-September quarter, including 11 Indigenous deaths and 16 non-Indigenous deaths.

All of the deaths were male prisoners.

In the 12 months leading up to the end of September, 106 people died in custody and 27 per cent were Indigenous.

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