Bay fisherman drowns
A local man was found dead at a Western Bay beach last night.
Police are trying to piece together how the 26-year-old Te Puke man died when he was long-line fishing off Otamarakau beach.
A police spokesperson said the man had travelled by motorbike to check his long-lines in the early evening but did not return home when planned,
The man's friends went to search for him about 8.30pm and found his motorbike in the water.
It was high tide at the time.
A police search began shortly after and the man's body was found further down the beach, in the water, about 11.40pm.
The police spokesperson said it was unclear how the man had died.
