Body found at Whangarei Falls

A body has been found at a Northland waterfall where a swimmer failed to resurface on Friday afternoon.

At 4.22pm yesterday, police confirmed the Police Dive Squad had recovered a body at Whangarei Falls, believed to have been that of the 26-year-old.

The area was blessed and reopened to the public and police and Victim Support were supporting the swimmer’s family.

An Auckland man said how he witnessed his best friend spit out water and struggle for breath before going underwater.

The swimmer, who was from the Philippines but lived in Auckland, had spent the day swimming at Mermaid Pools near Matapouri before heading to Whanga¯rei Falls to take photos.