Sudden-death incident reported at Petone Beach, Wellington

Police were called to Petone Beach in Lower Hutt. Image / Google

A body is believed to have been found on a Wellington beach.

Police have not confirmed whether a body washed up, was discovered by someone or left there as a result of some sort of incident, only that they were notified of a "sudden death in the water" at 2.17pm.

The incident happened at the Lower Hutt suburb of Petone.

Social media users said a body had been found at Petone Beach this afternoon.

Police said the death has been referred to the Coroner.

It is unclear at this stage whether the death has any connection to that of missing kayaker Koyren Campbell, however his boss has posted on Facebook stating the body is not Campbell's.

The 22-year-old has been missing since mid-January when he failed to return home from a fishing trip.

His kayak was found deserted with a fresh catch of fish.

The search for Campbell was officially called off on January 22, but friends and family have continued an unofficial search since then.

Campbell's boss David Downer has been one of the group leading the search since then, and today posted on a Facebook page dedicated to the search saying the body was not Campbell's.

He said Campbell remained missing.