One person drowns after falling into Bay of Plenty river

4:33 pm on 24 December 2016

A person has drowned after they slipped into a water hole in the Wainui River near Tauranga this afternoon.

Emergency services were notified at 1.35pm that a person had fallen into the water while walking down to the river at Whakamarama with two friends.

An intensive search effort was launched, but police have confirmed a body was found in the water at about 4pm.