A police investigation has been launched after a buried human skeleton was uncovered on a beach south of Auckland.
The skeleton was found at 8am on Saturday by a woman walking her dog on Sunset Beach in Port Waikato, police said.
Acting Crime Manager Inspector Gary Hill said an extremely high tide revealed the top of a human skull.
"A scene examination appears to show the body may have been buried, although police aren't ruling out other alternatives. It's understood the body has been there for a number of years"
Mr Hill said a team including forensic scientists and detectives from Counties Manukau Major Crime Team were now investigating.
