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A body has been found in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf by searchers looking for a boatie missing since Sunday.
The body was found on Rakino Island, about 13km northeast of where Mike Shaw was last seen drifting away from his friend after their boat sank near Browns Island on Sunday afternoon.
His friend clambered ashore on Browns Island but was not found until the next day, when the search began.
The name of the deceased has yet to be released but it is expected to be that of Mr Shaw, 49, from Ramarama, south of Auckland.
Senior Constable Gary Simpson said the body was located by a member of the public about 10.30am today.
There had been some speculation Mr Shaw's lifejacket came off but Mr Simpson said the body found today still had a lifejacket on.
"It's not really where we would have anticipated finding it," Mr Simpson told NZPA today.
"But the area was searched yesterday by helicopter and nothing was found.
"The lifejacket was bright orange, so it would have been spotted if it was there yesterday."
Mr Simpson said the body probably washed up at high tide about two hours before it was found.
- NZPA
