Body of swimmer recovered from Maraetotara Falls in Hawke's Bay

A body has been recovered after a person went missing after diving into the water at Maraetotara Falls, near Hastings. Photo / Duncan Brown.

The body of a missing swimmer has been recovered from a popular Hawke's Bay waterfall.

A Herald reporter at the scene at Maraetotara Falls said police dive squad members found the man's body this morning.

Police confirmed they had recovered the body at about 9am.

"Police are now working to formally identify the man and inform family members of his death," police said.

The swimmer had reportedly failed to resurface after diving into waterfall, near Hastings, at 5.30pm yesterday, police said.

A search for the swimmer was suspended at about 7.30pm yesterday, before resuming this morning.

No further information would be released about the man until his family have been notified, police said.

The last police and search teams had left the falls by about 11.30am today,
Herald photographer Paul Taylor said.

Tourists from Germany and Havelock North already arriving at the falls to swim had no idea a man had died there yesterday and were shocked when Taylor told them.

He said there had been no signs put up or indications left to warn those coming to falls about yesterday's tragedy.