Body recovered near Mōhaka River mouth

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A body has been located north of the Mōhaka River mouth in Tairāwhiti, police say.

A statement said the body was recovered on Tuesday.

“Formal identification is yet to take place, which may take several days.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and will be referred to the Coroner.

“Police would like to thank Ngati Pāhauwera for their support during the operation to recover the body.

“A rāhui has been put on the Mōhaka beach/river for the next three days.”

Police had previously been searching the Mōhaka River for missing man Matthew Knight.

The 19-year-old, from Waikato, was last seen in the Raupunga/Mōhaka area late on the evening of Monday, October 9.

Numerous searches and inquiries were conducted, centred around the Mōhaka rail bridge and surrounding river.