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Yesterday police and the Fire Service conducted land searches of the East and West banks of the Waikato River after a young man went missing in the river.
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He is presumed drowned after family saw him slip below the surface while another man was attempting to rescue him.
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During the evening the Fire Service provided outstanding support to police using their thermal imaging equipment from a boat in case the missing man was on the rivers edge exhausted or unconscious.
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Police conducted searches on the river and along its banks in to the early hours of the morning and again at first light. A maritime unit was deployed again early this morning and is currently searching the river.
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Indications are that the young man was not a strong swimmer. He tried to cross the river and when he got into difficulty he went under despite the rescue attempts.
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This is a tragedy for the family who were enjoying some recreation time at the river. It is a timely reminder that the Waikato River has a strong current and many snags below the surface.
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Swimmers need to ensure they do not venture in to activities outside their capabilities.
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The Waikato River is sacred to Iwi, who have been advised of this sad event.
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