Boy's body found in river

The small Hawke's Bay community of Wairoa is in mourning after the body of 13-year-old Conan Waihi was pulled from the Wairoa River this afternoon.

Conan, a Wairoa College pupil, was playing with friends about 5.15pm yesterday when he jumped in the flooded river to retrieve a basketball.

Search and rescue co-ordinator Constable Tony Maultsaid said that about 15m from the bank Conan got into trouble and one of his friends jumped in to try and save him.

The friend was able to grab Conan's arm, but could not hold him.

A large search of the river by police, firefighters, Maori wardens, Conan's family and members of the public failed to turn up any sign of him last night.

After extensive sweeps of both the river and the riverbank the search was called  off at 9pm due to poor visibility.

Mr Maultsaid said the river was in flood after 5cm of rain within 48 hours.

Family, friends and members of the Latter-Day Saints church, where Conan served as a deacon, continued the search by torchlight until 11pm.

The search resumed early this morning with the assistance of the police dive squad from Wellington.

Conan's body was eventually found under a bridge, close to where he was last seen, around 1pm today.

Known to most members of the Wairoa community, Conan was an enthusiast basketball  player and a popular student.

He also had an after-school paper run.

A delivery driver told The Gisborne Herald Conan was an ''awesome kid from a really neat family''.

''He is one of those really likeable kids, very helpful, just a neat kid,'' he said.

Wairoa College is offering counselling to pupils.