Waikato river mystery: Police confirm identity

Photo / File

Police believe they know the identity of a person seen struggling in the Waikato River last week.

Emergency services scoured the river looking for the person seen by a jogger under the Fairfield bridge about 8pm on Wednesday.

The person has yet to be found.

Detective Karl Little said the family of a 23-year-old man contacted police over the weekend concerned about the whereabouts of their son.

"A jacket recovered from the middle of the Waikato River under the Pukete Bridge during the initial search on Wednesday night has been identified as being similar to one the man's family believe he bought recently."

Mr Little said a search boat crewed by search and rescue staff would resume the search this morning, scouring riverbanks between the Fairfield Bridge and Ngaruawahia.

"While this is going on, as river levels drop we would ask land owners bordering the Waikato River and people who frequent the river either on land or on boats to notify Police if they notice anything out of the ordinary."

- Herald Online staff