Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Alan Kingsbury:
Yesterday at approximately 1:30pm Police received a report that a fisherman had found part of a human skull near Salisbury Wharf in Mount Maunganui.
Police responded to the scene, recovered the skull and took it to a forensic pathologist to be examined.
Initial indications are that the remains belong to an adult human and have been in the water for some years.
There is nothing to suggest that there are any suspicious circumstances in relation to the skull and the matter has been referred to the coroner.
Today the Police National Dive Squad will be assisting with a search of the area surrounding Salisbury Wharf. They will be assisted by the Tauranga Harbourmaster.
It is expected that the search will be completed today but while it is underway there will be restrictions around the use of the wharf and the surrounding area for members of the public.
This is to ensure the search can be conducted safely.
The police appreciate the cooperation of the public and Port of Tauranga in this matter.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre