Man's body washes up on Napier beach

Saturday, 20 January 2018

Police are working to identify a body washed up on the beach at Awatoto, near where a French tourist went missing last week.

A man's body has been found on the shore of a Napier beach.

A member of the public discovered the body washed up on the beach on Friday night, and notified the police just after 8.30pm.

'They had found a body washed up at Awatoto,' a police spokeswoman said.

'Police are working to formally identify the body and the circumstances.'

* Missing French tourist Pierre Paludet's disappearance 'out of character'

* Police consider another aerial search for missing French tourist Pierre Paludet**

Police could not say whether the body might be that of missing French tourist Pierre Paludet, who was last seen in Haumoana on Friday, January 12, nor could they say if anybody else was missing in the area.

Police confirmed on Sunday morning it was a man's body.

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Paludet, 32, had been sleeping in his car in the area before he went missing.

Locals called police on January 13 when they noticed his car seemingly abandoned and a build-up of rubbish.

His family described his lack of contact with them as 'completely out of character'.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts was asked to contact Hastings Police on 06 831 0700.