Body recovered in search for missing Waihī Beach kayaker

A body has been recovered during the second day of a search for a kayaker missing at Waihi Beach. While formal identification is ongoing, police believe the body belongs to the man who went missing on Tuesday.

The man and his kayak were brought to shore just before 3pm on Wednesday with assistance from Coastguard Whangamatā and the Royal New Zealand Navy. The search area had been widened to cover approximately 90km from Whangamatā to Tauranga.

Police were first alerted at approximately 5.40pm on Tuesday that a man had entered the water in a kayak earlier that morning and had not been seen since. The search operation included the Police Eagle helicopter.

The kayak is described as a single-seated, sit-on-top vessel with a blue, black, and white mottled camouflage pattern. Anyone with information is asked to contact 105 and quote reference P067997461.

How it developed

• Wed 21 Oct, 11:39amSergeant Will Hamilton confirmed the search included the Police Eagle helicopter and continued through the evening.
• Wed 21 Oct, 4:58pmThe search area was expanded to a 90km stretch between Whangamatā and Tauranga.
• Wed 21 Oct, 5:07pmThe man and his kayak were brought to shore by the Royal New Zealand Navy and Coastguard Whangamatā just before 3pm on Wednesday.

Where reports differ

• Early reports requested information via 111, while later reports advised contacting 105.

Compiled from reports by RNZ, NZ Herald, Stuff, Waikato Times and 1News.