Waioweka River search: Body found in hunt for missing Bay of Plenty man David RoeA body has been recovered from the Waioweka River in the search for a missing Bay of Plenty man. David Roe, 52, had been missing since January 23 after falling from a boat while crossing the river near the junction of Waiata Stream, near Ōpōtiki. Eastern Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Nicky Cooney said police recovered a body from the Waioweka River about 9am on Tuesday. “This has been a long slow search, hindered at times by the weather as well as impacted by the slips on SH2,” Cooney said. The inspector thanked those who assisted in the search effort, in particular Land SAR volunteers, local jet boat and helicopter operators, and iwi.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 10, 2026 03:23 UTC