Body found on Northland beach

Lifeguards and police have recovered a body on Uretiti beach and believe it may be that of a missing Russian swimmer.

Police gathered at Ruakaka Surf Club just before 9am today and and headed off along the shore in police fourwheel drive vehicles and a lifeguard quad bike.

They recovered the body near the entrance to the Waipu river entrance.

The body was yet to be formally identified but police believed it was missing man Alexy Ivanov, originally from Russia.

The 34-year-old had been missing since last Wednesday evening after Department of Conservation workers raised the alarm when they noticed his clothes and deck chair still on Uretiti Beach.

Last weekend the Royal New Zealand Navy was been brought in to help search for the Russian swimmer using sonar equipment.