Farmer electrocuted in Hawke's Bay named

File photo / NZ Herald

The man apparently electrocuted in Hawke's Bay yesterday has been named as 65-year-old farmer Alan Johanson.

Sergeant Tony Le Sueur of Dannevirke police said Mr Johanson was found by his wife on their farm in Weber, 45km east of Dannevirke.

"Mr Johanson was last seen by his wife at 7am when he left the shearing shed to do other farming activities," Mr Le Sueur said.

"When he had not returned, his wife and son went to check the area he was working in. They located him near the farmhouse about 11am and called emergency services, but he was dead when they arrived."

There are no suspicious circumstances but the exact cause of death wouldn't be known until a post-mortem examination has been carried out.

A spokeswoman for St John Ambulance said when the initial call came in, they were told it was an electrocution.

"We deployed several resources but when staff arrived on the scene, the patient was deceased," she said.

Mr Johanson's friends spoke of his huge involvement in the community, in particular sport.

George Crosse, who lives in Dannevirke but still owns a farm at Weber, said Mr Johanson was well known in the district and would be sorely missed.

"The Weber community is a very tight-knit community. I knew him for many years and he was a great man, easygoing and popular with other residents. He was involved in the rugby club and horse sports and took great interest in what was happening in the district."

Mr Crosse said Mr Johanson grew up on the farm which was owned by his maternal grandparents and after leaving schooltrained as a teacher.

"He taught at Dannevirke High School before returning to run the farm."