Police name Christchurch man found dead on Lake Tekapo shore

Thursday, 18 June 2026

Police have named the man found dead on the shore of Lake Tekapo/Takapō, the second body retrieved from the lake in a week.

He was Baldeep Singh, 34, of Christchurch.

Police said in a statement on Thursday evening Singh had entered the water on Friday.

Police continued to make inquiries on behalf of the Coroner.

“Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”

Sergeant Warwick Worth of Timaru said police were called about 8.40am on Wednesday after the body was spotted in the shallows on the western shore.

Emergency services responded and the man was declared dead at the scene. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Police earlier said the man is not believed to have family in New Zealand and they had made contact with the relevant consulate to notify next of kin overseas.

Worth said this incident did not relate to an incident less than a week earlier, on Thursday June 11, when a man fell into the lake near the State Highway 8 bridge, which is also a dam, about 8pm.

A police dive squad found and retrieved his body from the lake about 2pm the following day.