Dunedin-based Otago-Southland regional coroner David Crerar said when announcing the inquest in late May there was concern expressed in the media into the adequacy of the police search and the failure to locate Ms Okin (35) alive.
However, when contacted yesterday, he said he would not be delving into the "search matters at any great length".
"She was deceased prior to the search being instituted," Mr Crerar said.
The coroner's inquiry was likely to be held between April and June this year but no date had been set yet, he said.
Ms Okin's body was found in rugged and inaccessible bush nearly 1km off the Routeburn Track, on May 16, after an apparent attempt to make a steep descent into the Hollyford Valley from the track, a professional Israeli searcher said.
She was reported missing 11 days after last being seen leaving the Mackenzie hut about noon on March 26.
Police began a search about a week later and it was called off on April 22, with Ms Okin's brother initiating a private search on the same day.
While there had been criticism of the search efforts, this had been rejected by Queenstown volunteer searchers at the time and also professional Israeli searchers hired to continue searching after the police search was called off.
Mr Crerar said it was unlikely any more than 10 witnesses would be called for the inquest.
Ms Okin's family would be invited to attend, but not at the expense of the police or coroner's service, he said.
Coronial Services was still talking to police and the courts over a court date, which was expected to be some time in the second quarter of the year, Mr Crerar said.
The inquest was announced for reasons including, what appeared to have been an "unnatural" death, the circumstances of the death and the need for a thorough inquiry into all aspects of the searches, Mr Crerar had said at the time.
