Man's body found on rocks near New Plymouths Coastal Walkway

BREAKING NEWS 5.21PM:  A mans body has been found in New Plymouth today.

The body was found on the Coastal Walkway in New Plymouth and has been closed by police since 2.30pm today.

infonews.co.nz can confirm the body was found on the sea side and police have confirmed the body could have been in the water for quite some time. 

An ambulance was also seen at the scene at around 3.30pm.

Police have said the body was found by a member of the public.

This follows a New Plymouth Boys High School student being missing for over ten days, even with unconfirmed sightings of him around the walkway.

There is also speculation on social networking site Facebook that because police have said it had been in the water for quite sometime it could have been linked to the Paritutu accident which involved three men, two of which students from Spotswood College when an accident where three people fell off Paritutu Rock in New Plymouth.

Close attention was paid to an area directly in front of the centre's hydroslides.

The fire brigade was called in to move rocks from the area so the body could be removed.
Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Borrell said it appeared the body could have been in the water for some time.

''Now obviously we have to work through things like dental records and DNA to establish the identity,'' Mr Borrell said.

He could not confirm the body was that of New Plymouth Boys' High student Nikolao Meafua, 16, who has been missing since June 10 after he left his Bell Block home following an argument with his mother.

''I can't comment on that at the moment, we still have to establish the identity.''

Mr Borrell would not comment on the condition of the body or whether it was clothed.

The investigation is in its earliest stages and identification could take some time police have said.

Our New Plymouth infonews.co.nz reporter at the scene said police are securing the area and a cordon is in place for now.

 

This is breaking news, more to follow..