A body found in Christchurch's Avon River this morning has been identified as a 27-year-old local woman.
Her body was found by a kayaker at about 6.50am near Dallington Terrace, east of the city centre, prompting police to launch a homicide investigation.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams said therewere obvious injuries and it was apparent the death was not from natural causes, but police would need to wait for results of a post-mortem being done tomorrow to provide more information about what happened.
Investigators were initially unable to identify the woman but managed to find clothing and personal items which assisted them.
Mr Williams said the woman was wearing a watch which had stopped at 11 o'clock.
He appealed for anyone in the area, including late bus drivers or nightshift workers, who may have seen anything unusual last night to contact them.
Police have been scanning the riverbed with the use of a hydraulic platform but police divers have been called in to do a more detailed search.
The body was found in the area where local woman Tisha Lowry went missing nearly three months ago, but police said there was no connection to that case.
