29 Dec 2017

Man's body recovered from West Coast river

4:47 pm on 29 December 2017

The body of a man whose car plunged off a steep bank into the Okuru River south of Haast has been recovered.

Police tape cordon a property in Taharoa

(file photo) Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Police said the 44-year-old's car was found by a jetboater on Wednesday and a search was launched.

The man, who was from nearby Hannah's Clearing, was found in the river about 1km downstream from his car.

The death has been referred to the coroner.

It increases the number of people who have died on the roads this holiday season to eight.