29 Mar 2013

Boy's body found in West Harbour

6:01 pm on 29 March 2013

The body of a five-year-old boy has been found in mud in Auckland's West Harbour.

Police say the boy was reported missing on Friday afternoon from Luckens Reserve, prompting a wide-scale search involving search and rescue staff and the Eagle helicopter.

The helicopter crew spotted the boy on a mudflat near the West Harbour Marina during an aerial search of the shoreline.

A staff member was flown in standing on the helicopter skid and recovered his body from the mud.

Police say ambulance staff examined the boy but he had already died.

They say the boy's family, who had been assisting with the search, is distraught.

Victim Support is with them now.