Army mourns drowned soldier

A soldier killed during a white water rafting expedition near Taihape was in line for a promotion and a promising military future.

Staff sergeant Andy Warren's body was recovered from the Rangitikei River on Friday after the raft he was in hit a rock, throwing off five of the seven occupants late in the afternoon.

Four of the men were picked up by other rafts, but by the time Warren was found 25 minutes after the accident, the 44-year-old had drowned.

His friend, Lieutenant Colonel Darryl Tracy, commanding officer of Warren's battalion, said the death had left a huge hole in the army "family", as Warren was a respected man who had dedicated his life to the military.

"The army was his life. One of [his mum's] first comments was that all he wanted to do when he was a kid was join the army, and as soon as he was old enough to, he did," said Tracy, who had known Warren for 15 years.

Never married and with no children, Warren enlisted into the Regular Force of the NZ Army in 1980 as a rifleman, completed three overseas postings to Singapore and served on operational tours of duty in Bougainville and East Timor.

He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1995, marking 15 years of outstanding military service.

Tracy said Warren's death had not yet sunk in.

"When we lose one of our family we tend to take it pretty hard. I was speaking to him just the other day."

Army public relations manager Major Denise Mackay said an army court of inquiry to investigate the incident was expected to be initiated on Monday.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY