Moving stock across the Makarewa River in Southland ended in tragedy for two dairy workers.
The bodies of Antony Michael Patterson, aged 15, and Stephen Rex Faulks, 41, both of Makarewa, 11km north of Invercargill, were found in the river about 8.45 pm on Saturday, after an extensive search that began early in the afternoon when they did not return from moving the cows.
Invercargill police said civilian divers found the two bodies together at the bottom of a 4m hole about 50m upstream from where their two-wheeler motorbike was found on the river bank.
Antony and Mr Faulks worked for dairy farmer Neville Knight and when the workmates missed lunch on Saturday, Mr Knight and other staff began searching for the pair.
A search and rescue team was launched at 4 pm and about 20 people were involved in the search at its peak. A helicopter, jetboat and kayakers from Invercargill were also used to help search the river.
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