Body of jetskier found - police

Searchers on Lake Okareka. Photo / NZPA

Police say they are confident a body found on a lake near Rotorua this morning is that of a teenager who went missing after a jetski accident at the weekend.

Senior Sergeant van den Broek said the family of 17-year-old Bishop Thompson had been informed of the find at Lake Okareka today.

A group of about 150 family and friends of Bishop have been keeping a non-stop vigil at the lake since he disappeared.

"This has been a very distressing time for Bishop's family and friends, many of whom have been at the lake since Saturday afternoon. We are giving them every support we can," Mr van den Broek said.

He said the body had yet to be formally identified but police were "confident" it was that of Bishop.

Navy divers using data from sonar equipment found the body in 30m of water about 9am.

"Police divers are now recovering the body and bringing him ashore. There will be a karakia before the body is taken to Rotorua mortuary and then to Auckland for a post mortem," he said.

Bishop fell off a jetski being driven by a friend on Lake Okareka on Saturday and was subsequently struck by another jetski.

Senior Sergeant van den Broek said police had yet to complete inquiries into how the two jetskiers crashed.

- NZPA