The body of Lance "Tiki" Tikitere Fitzgerald, the 13-year-old who died in the Whakatane river, is expected back in Whakatane at noon today,
Tiki left for the Hamilton coroners at 6am today.
There will be a service for the youngster at Gateway Drive in Whakatane today before he leaves for Gisborne where he lived before coming to the Eastern Bay. From Gisborne he will be taken to Hiruharama Marae on the outskirts of Ruatoria for his tangi.
The whanau are hoping to keep people updated if there are any changes.
