Human remains found on an island off the East Coast of Northland have been confirmed as those of fisherman Ferzil Babu.
Babu, 34, went missing after a fishing trip at The Gap, Taiharuru, in May 2024.
The body of his friend, Sarath Kumar, 37, was found by the police dive squad two days after the pair went missing.
Police said a member of the Department of Conservation contacted them after finding the remains on Coppermine Island, east of Bream Bay, on December 20 last year.
The remains were examined by a pathologist, anthropologist, and ESR scientists, and the examination confirmed the remains were those of Babu, police said.
Walker found safe
A man who spent a night in the remote Far North bush after becoming separated from his walking group was found safe and well.
Detective Inspector Geoff McCarthy said police were alerted at 8.45pm on March 10 that the man had been separated from his group during a walk near Hōreke, in the Hokianga. The 64-year-old had no phone, and the weather was deteriorating.
Despite large-scale searches by police and Land Search and Rescue through the night, he was not found.
By daybreak, McCarthy said, the Hōreke community rallied to help find the man and he was found at 9.30am.
Airport exercise
Whangārei Airport will be conducting an interagency emergency operations exercise on Saturday, March 28, between 5pm and 6pm. Residents and motorists may notice more emergency vehicles travelling to and from the airport during this time, but there is no cause for alarm. The exercise will involve Whangārei Airport Rescue, Fire and Emergency NZ, Hato Hone St John and NZ police.
Payments clarification
A story in the Northern Advocate on March 11 said the Ministry of Social Development paid $178,850 to 621 Northlanders in Civil Defence payments between January 29 and March 3. However, the ministry made 621 Civil Defence payments in Northland, with the possibility of people applying for more than one payment.
