NT Police are investigating the death of a 35-year-old male prisoner in the Alice Springs Prison yesterday afternoon.

Police director of communications Mark Wilton said in a statement that at about 5.40pm on Tuesday, police received reports the prisoner had collapsed.

“Staff commenced CPR before St John Ambulance personnel took over and the male was conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital where he was pronounced deceased,” Mr Wilton said.

“Initial investigations indicate the male died as a result of a medical episode and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”

Mr Wilton said the death was being treated as a death in custody because the man was in the care of the Corrections Department.

It is the second death in an NT prison this year, following the suicide of a 26-year-old man in the Darwin Prison in Holtze in late March.