New Zealand Police Alert 10:00 13-01-2008 Southern

Location of incident: Balclutha

Incident Type: Homicide Investigation

PRESS RELEASE NO 2

13 JANUARY 2007, 1000 hours

Police in Balclutha continue with their investigation into the death of a male person after a body was discovered in the Clutha River, near Balclutha.

Investigation head - Detective Inspector Ross Pinkham - says that Police responded to a call from a user of the river who saw the body in the river at 3pm on Saturday. Balclutha Police assisted by Detectives from Dunedin worked late into the night to remove the body from the river.

The body has been taken to Dunedin where a post mortem will be held later today.

The post mortem will assist investigators in determining the identity of the male person and the cause of death.

A large number of staff are currently working in Balclutha conducting enquiries in the vicinity of the Clutha River, near Stirling, in an effort to ascertain what may have occurred.

Mr Pinkham says that the NZ Police Dive team from Wellington will join the investigation later today and will check the area of the river where the body was recovered from.

Specialist Search Team staff from Christchurch will also assist the investigation.

The 'non fly zone' that had been in place near the scene has now been lifted.

A further media release will be made at 4pm today.

ENDS

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