Body seen in river after man's disappearance

A silhouette of a body was seen in the Waikato River hours after a 35-year-old truck driver went missing from his Hamilton home.

Nicholas "Tommy" Atkins, a father of one, has not been seen since walking out of his suburban Fairview Downs property early on July 30.

Family members found his clothing on the banks of the Waikato River last Thursday but a police search found no trace of him.

Police today said a man had told the Fairfield Bridge Dairy shop owner he had seen the silhouette of a body in the river at about 11:30am on July 30.

An elderly couple in the store volunteered to accompany the man back to where he had made the sighting, police said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton would like to speak to the man or the elderly couple to find out what they had seen.

He appealed for them to call Hamilton Police on 07 858 6200 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line 0800 555111.

Mr Atikins' mother said vanishing without a trace was "totally out of character".

"He's got a beautiful son and a new job that he loves ... he'd just started to save for a house ... I don't know, maybe he was lonely."

He asked three people [if they wanted a ride] in his truck that day."

Mr Atkins is European, 165cm tall, stocky, with dark black curly hair.

-HERALD ONLINE