Police appeal for help to piece together dead man's last moments

Police are appealing for help piecing together the last moments of the life of a Tauranga man whose body was found in surf at Mt Maunganui's Main Beach.

The body of Benjamin Christopher Dahlkamp, 45, washed ashore near the popular viewing platform by Moturiki (Leisure) Island yesterday morning.

A member of the public walking along the beach spotted Dahlkamp's fully clothed body in the surf at about 8am and called police.

The body of 45-year-old Tauranga man Benjamin Christopher Dahlkamp was found at Mount Maunganui beach yesterday morning. Photo/John Borren

Officers retrieved Dahlkamp's body from the water and covered it with a tarpaulin before moving it off the beach.

Detective Sergeant Alan Kingsbury said he hoped people in the community might help piece together a timeline leading up to Dahlkamp's death.

"We are still working through this. We have received some calls from members of the public but if anyone has had contact with Mr Dahlkamp in the past 24 hours, we would very much like to hear from them," Kingsbury said.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service general manager Glenn Bradley confirmed the club had helped move the body about 450m to a hearse waiting by the surf club at the base of Mauao.

If anyone has any information they believe might help police in their investigations they are asked to call Tauranga police on (07) 577 4300.