The Coastguard has been out on the Whanganui River on Monday morning. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Coastguard has been out on the Whanganui River on Monday morning. Photo / Bevan Conley
A body has been found in the Whanganui River in the search for a man who went missing on Sunday afternoon.
His body was located in the Mosquito Point area.
Police will release the name of the man, a 24-year-old Israeli national, as soon as all family notifications and formal identificationhave taken place.
The man's death will be referred to the Coroner.
Ealier on Monday, Israeli Consul in New Zealand, Roy Rosenberg, said the missing man's family had been informed of the incident.
"We are preparing ourselves for the worst case scenario, for a body to be found," he said.
"He is a tourist, he was travelling by himself as far as we know, but during the time of the event he had been with some other Israelis which he met briefly before the event."
Rosenberg said he believed the man arrived on January 6.
"I am in direct contact with the family in Israel and they have been informed regarding the situation right now," he said.
"I'm in touch with [the constable] who is managing the operation as I understand and as soon they have any information they will pass to me and then pass it onto the family," Rosenberg said.
A rāhui was placed on the river on Sunday.
Police, ambulance and a helicopter crew were all involved in the search for the swimmer after he failed to surface on Sunday afternoon.
The search was suspended late on Sunday evening but resumed on Monday morning with the assistance of the Police National Dive Squad.
The rāhui applies between Hipango Park through to the river mouth, according to the Whanganui District Council.
"We have just been advised that a rahui has been placed on the Whanganui River. This covers the area from Hipango Park through to the river mouth. No further information is available at this time," it said in a statement.
Rescue helicopters have been involved in the search. Photo / Bevan Conley
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said the service was notified of a "water incident" at the river, close to Papaiti Rd, at 1.22pm on Sunday.
The road to Mosquito Point was cordoned off on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Zaryd Wilson
A reporter at the scene on Sunday afternoon said the turn-off to Mosquito Point, a popular swimming spot, had been cordoned off. The rescue helicopter could earlier be seen flying back and forth along a section of the river.
