Surgeon tried to save Kiwi author Joy Ramirez who died while on her honeymoon in Vanuatu

Kiwi author Joy Ramirez died after falling from a horse on her honeymoon in Vanuatu despite the best efforts of a surgeon who tried to save her.

The surgeon at the Northern Provincial Hospital in Luganville, Dr Basil Leodoro, told the Vanuatu Daily Post Ramirez was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening for emergency surgery.

He said she was injured on Ratua Island on Friday but he would not say what sort of injuries she had. She was admitted to Medical Santo, a health facility in Luganville, and on Saturday evening she was moved to the Northern Provincial Hospital for an emergency operation.

"Following a two-to-three-hour operation her condition began to deteriorate and she died on Sunday morning," Leodoro said. He would not give further information citing privacy.

Ramirez was injured after falling from a horse while on her honeymoon with husband Matt Weavers.

Joy Ramirez and husband Matt Weavers were honeymooning in Vanuatu when she died. Photo / Instagram

A Promedical Vanuatu spokesperson said she was horse riding on an island off the shore of Espiritu Santo when she came off the horse.

"She received a chin injury as well as blunt force trauma to the abdomen region."

As well as being a published children's author, Ramirez, who had a bachelor of communications majoring in television production from Auckland University of Technology, has worked in events, marketing, PR and sponsorship management in Auckland, Wellington and Australia.

She also has a background as a singer and songwriter and was working on developing a sequel to her first children's book, Toot - The World's Tiniest Whale, which was published in 2015.

Newstalk ZB host Tim Roxborogh paid tribute to Ramirez, his friend, on his website.

"Just over 24 hours ago I heard that one of my oldest and most remarkable friends had died in a tragic accident on her honeymoon in Vanuatu.

"I will never, ever forget Joy Ramirez and right now I feel very much in denial. Because Joy was always there for me. Though as I'm increasingly discovering, she was always there for a lot of people.

"She gave time and she gave of herself. She was the very definition of the cliche 'beautiful inside and out' and it's obvious so many of us feel she genuinely made this world a better place," he wrote.

Joy Ramirez died while on her honeymoon in Vanuatu.

"I'm not sure if I've ever met someone who was simultaneously this driven, this positive, this optimistic and this kind. Let's not also forget how funny she was too.

"Her passion for her own various endeavours was equalled by the enthusiasm and support she'd give to the projects of those who were blessed to call her 'friend'."

Earlier he told the Herald of meeting her while studying at AUT in 2000 and remaining close friends ever since.

He even credited her with encouraging him to rekindle his relationship with his now fiancee.

"Hearing the news Joy is gone is heartbreaking. Some people you encounter in this life are mysterious and Joy always had a mystery and energy that sometimes felt not of this world. She was extraordinary," he said.

It was understood arrangements were being made to repatriate Ramirez's body to New Zealand.