Source: Radio New Zealand
NZ Police/Supplied
A body found in the aftermath of the Wellington floods earlier this week has been formally identified as Philip Sutton.
Sutton went missing on Monday morning as bad weather hit the capital, torrential rain leading to flooding and a local state of emergency.
A family member called emergency services around 7am after being unable to make contact with Sutton, who is aged in his 60s.
Sutton’s Karori South Road property was found to be hit by floodwaters and debris. Search and rescue teams at the site on Monday could not find him.
His body was found near the mouth of the Karori Stream on Wednesday.
Sutton’s silver Suzuki Swift was found by a police search team just before 11am on Wednesday in Karori Stream, a kilometre or so from where it had been parked before flooding started. His body was found an hour later, about seven kilometres from Karori South Road.
Constable Steve Ewart said there was a “substantial distance” between the two, and the car had sustained moderate damage, considering what it must have been through.
Wellington District prevention manager Inspector Fleur de Bes on Thursday said the death had been referred to the coroner.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with Philip’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
The city’s state of emergency was lifted on Tuesday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
