A body has been located in the Waioweka river, after a man fell from his boat.
Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Nicky Cooney said Police and teams had been searching for a man missing since January.
The man reported fell from his boat on the 23rd of January, and search efforts have been taking place since.
This morning, efforts lead to the location and recovery of a body from Waioweka River at 9am this morning.
She said it had been a long, slow search, hindered at times by the weather and impacted by the slips on SH2.
Police thank people who assisted in search efforts, particularly Land SAR volunteers, local jet boat and helicopter operators.
She said the local iwi's knowledge of the river and surrounding terrain has been invaluable.
The formal identification process is underway, and the man’s death has been referred to the Coroner.
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