Raglan missing man: Body pulled from the water

A body has been pulled out of the water at Raglan this afternoon. Police believe the body to be missing Hamilton man Luke Berwick.

Berwick was reported missing by his family on Friday. His last contact with them was on September 24.

He had been staying at Raglan Holiday Park since the day before and intended to go fishing.

A man, who asked to remain anonymous, said he saw the body from the footbridge crossing Opotoru inlet.

“I went in after seeing the body from the bridge and pulled him to shore,” the man said.

The man said he was wearing jeans at the time.

“I was definitely not planning on swimming.”

A woman, who also asked not to be named, said she was sitting near Raglan Holiday Park when the body was pulled from the water.

“[It happened] about 5m from where we were,” the woman said.

“Right under the footbridge near the playground.”

Luke Berwick, 31, was last seen in Raglan.

A police spokesperson said a member of the public called police at 2.25pm after observing the person in the water from a nearby footbridge.

“While formal identification is yet to take place, police believe the deceased is a 31-year-old Hamilton man reported missing last week,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said police would continue to make inquiries into the circumstances of the death on behalf of the Coroner.

“Police would like to extend our condolences to the man’s whānau and loved ones.

A woman said she saw a body being pulled from the water under the footbridge near Raglan Holiday Park.

Earlier today, a police spokesperson said a fixed-wing aircraft has been used by police in their search and rescue efforts.

“Search areas include Luke’s last known locations including land and sea around Raglan and immediate areas.

“Police are asking anyone who has seen Luke, and not yet reported it to police, to get in touch as we continue our search.”

Another police spokesperson told the Waikato Herald the purpose of the aircraft was to “cover more ground” and sight areas of interest for ground searches.

Police first called for the public’s assistance on Saturday morning in a police statement that was also posted on social media.

“The 31-year-old Hamilton man is believed to have been staying at the Raglan Holiday Park since September 23, with the intention of going fishing,” the statement said.

“He was last in contact with family on Tuesday, 24 September and police and his family are concerned.”

The statement said Berwick has “good knowledge of the Raglan area and fishes from the wharf at the end of Wallis St, Raglan mouth, Ngaranui, Wainui, Manu Bay, and Ruapuke rocks”.

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.