Update on Paul Arber
New Zealand police don't yet know if the body found in the Waikato River is that of Australian tennis coach Paul Arber, but say no one else is missing in the area.
Wellington, New Zealand, 12 December 2013 | AAP
New Zealand police don’t yet know if the body found in the Waikato River is that of Australian tennis coach Paul Arber, but say no one else is missing in the area.
A body was pulled from the river about 7.45am (0545 AEDT) on Thursday morning, four days after Mr Arber, 38, went missing in Hamilton.
Detective Inspector Karl Thornton said while it is natural to speculate that the recovered body was Mr Arber’s, it won’t be confirmed for some time.
“We have however, not received any other reports of missing persons we believe could be linked to this morning’s recovery,” he said.
Mr Arber, who comes from Melbourne, was last seen in the Waikato River in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Two people saw him in the river as they walked over Victoria Bridge.
They offered to take him back to his accommodation, but when he reached the bridge he changed his mind and walked off – back to the river.
Mr Arber had been in Hamilton with a large group of children for a tennis tournament.
Police say he was exhibiting behaviour best described as being out of character shortly before he disappeared.
His parents, Sam and Richelle, describe their son as a gentle and spiritual person.
The body has been taken to Waikato hospital for formal identification.