Man who died in lagoon tragedy named

A motorised scooter is removed from Awatapu Lagoon, where the man was found.

A man found dead in a Whakatane lagoon yesterday has been identified as 60-year-old local man Christopher John Erlbeck.

Mr Erlbeck was located about 3.30pm face down in the Awatapu Lagoon on Awatapu Drive close to a 1.5m vertical bank. His electric wheelchair was also found in the water.

Enquiries are ongoing into how Mr Erlbeck died but there are no suspicious circumstances and the matter has been referred to the Coroner.