Searchers discover body of missing man

The body of 63-year-old man Leslie Wright has been found in bush in the King Country today.

Searchers found the body about 5km from his car, according to Sergeant Phil Bell of the Waikato Search and Rescue Squad.

“It is anticipated that it will take about two hours to recover Mr Wright’s body,” Bell said.

Wright left for a day tramp on Monday and failed to return to the campground in Waitomo where he was staying with his partner, Deborah Carden, and another friend.

Twelve search teams with specialist tracking dogs, a visual tracking team, and a helicopter were scouring Pureora Forest for Wright, whose car was discovered off Waitaramoa Rd yesterday with his cold weather kit, sleeping bag, and food still inside.

Bell said that Land Search and Rescue volunteers came from Waitomo, Taupo, Turangi, Hamilton and Rotorua to help.

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