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Police have named a man who was swept away while swimming in the Whanganui River on Saturday.
He is 34-year-old Duane Kaka from Wanganui.
Police have launched a huge search operation using boats, a helicopter and the police dive unit in the search for Kaka.
Police say the fast-flowing, murky water from recent downpours has complicated the search.
Searches will continue by boat over the next few days and with fine weather predicted the river conditions are expected to settle down.
Ruapehu police area commander inspector Steve Mastrovich said police hold grave fears for Kaka's safety.
Yesterday an 87km stretch of river between Whakahoro and Pipriki was searched four times with no sign of the missing man.
Kaka was part of a large group making a staged trip down the river. He and another man from the group attempted to swim across the river in an area known as Mangapapapa at approximately 1pm on Saturday afternoon when the incident happened.
Another swimmer went missing at Titahi Bay on Saturday, and efforts to find him have been fruitless.
Call for change
The number of water related incidents this summer has shot up and experts are calling for New Zealanders to start taking their water safety seriously.
Water Safety New Zealand General Manager, Matt Claridge, says he feels like a stuck record, repeating the same safety message to deaf ears.
He says that it would cost $28 million to fully educate New Zealanders on water safety and believes the Government needs to get onboard.
- With Newstalk ZB
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