KEY POINTS:
The family of an Aucklander believed to have been murdered while holidaying in Russia were last night still waiting for official confirmation of her death.
Pamela Crane, 72, of Pakuranga, was last seen on May 29 in the reception area of a hotel in Moscow.
After an already "horrific" eight-day wait for news of her whereabouts in Russia, Mrs Crane's family were told in the early hours of Saturday that a body believed to be hers had been found.
Russian police are treating the death as suspicious.
Police and diplomatic staff from Britain, New Zealand and Russia are working together on the case.
Mrs Crane's brother, Terry Stretton, of Howick, said last night that the family had not heard if the body had been formally identified.
Because of the time difference between New Zealand and Russia, it was too early in the morning.
"Russia's closed," he said.
The family did not wish to comment further.
Concerns about Mrs Crane were first raised by her daughter, who contacted Auckland Airport police when her mother did not arrive back in New Zealand on June 10 after travelling in China and Russia.
The head of the New Zealand missing persons unit based in Wellington, Detective Sergeant Liam Clinton, said he spent yesterday collating dental records to send to Russian police to help to identify the body.
He did not know more about the case, including where the body was found or a possible cause of death. Any details would have to come from Russian police.
Mr Clinton said a New Zealand-born Russian man from Blenheim, Kevin Borcovsky, was also missing in Russia. Mr Borcovsky was last seen in September in the city of Tynda.
A press secretary for the British Embassy in Moscow said teams of searchers had hunted for Mrs Crane since she was reported missing.
Posters were sent out by consular staff and colleagues in areas where Mrs Crane was last seen in the hope somebody would recognise her.
