Police have recovered the body of a kayaker who drowned off the Coromandel coast.
Maurice Bede Philips, 24, of Ngaruawahia, 19km northwest of Hamilton, went missing after his kayak sank off Hauturu (Clark) Island, near Whangamata, about 5pm on Wednesday.
Police divers recovered his body near the island about midday on Friday, Inspector Lou Alofa said.
Mr Phillips had been fishing off the kayak with a friend who managed to swim to the island.
Neither man was wearing a life jacket and police said it was "lucky" it had not been a double tragedy.
NZPA