Sonar to be used in search for body

Navy sonar experts are likely to join the police today to search Manukau Harbour for a body wrapped in a net and weighted down with stones.

The body was hooked by fishermen when they raised their anchor on Sunday but before they could secure it, it fell back into the water and sank.

Navy divers searched in near zero visibility off Waikowhai Bay near Hillsborough yesterday without success. Police said they hoped to complete the search of the main search area today but also hoped to used Navy sonar gear to look for irregularities on the bottom.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry said they had already spoken to the navy about using specialist search gear.

"We are going to look at what is available and probably use it today," he said.

Mr Gutry said the water was not deep -- up to 10 metres -- and there would be no problem getting the sonar gear to the search area.

Police said the body could not have got into the water wrapped in a net by accident and they were looking at a homicide inquiry.

The body was tied up in a net with at least two heavy boulders to keep it down. It was found by Otahuhu man Steve Christian who was fishing with a friend and his friend's two sons from a small boat on Sunday afternoon.

He spotted the body when they pulled up their anchor which had snagged the net.

Mr Gutry said there was a strong tidal flow in the area but police hoped because the body was weighed down it may not move far.

He said the divers were conducting a touch search of the bottom because visibility was so bad although the strong tidal flows had left the bottom reasonably solid by removing most of the silt and mud.

"Visibility is next to nothing. It is all by feel and very slow."

The body had not been in the water for long, possibly only a few hours, because it was relatively undamaged. Crabs and lice can badly damage a body even after only a few hours in the water.

Mr Gutry said police had a list of missing people but had no idea if the body was one of the people on the list.

"Our focus is to definitely find this body and take it from there."

The body was thought to be a woman in her late 20s but he said police were keeping an open mind on race and age.

"Even a few hours in the water can make things look different."

The police dive team of six divers and a support team had been joined by several police working on the missing persons list.

Mr Gutry said the search area was reasonably well defined and it would be searched thoroughly.

"If there is a body in there we will find it," he said.

- NZPA