Two bodies found in Lake Taupō

Two bodies have been discovered on the shores of Lake Taupō.

Police confirmed that two people had been killed and investigations were underway.

Emergency services were alerted around 7 a.m. near Mere Rd in Taupō.

Detective Sergeant Major Ryan Yardley said police were making inquiries after a member of the public found the two bodies shortly after 7 a.m.

“At this stage, the police are working to establish the identity of the bodies and a post-mortem examination will be carried out,” he said.

A scene guard will remain in place.

Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said he understood that a person walking by the lake saw the bodies in the water.

Then the bodies had been pulled out of the shallow water, he said.

“This is a very, very sad day,” Trewavas said.

He understood that there was no sign of a boat near where the bodies were found, adding to the mystery of how the couple died.

Taupō had been particularly busy in the past week with people arriving at the popular vacation destination in the center of the North Island from all over the country.

Trewavas said that learning that two people had died overnight in his city was a tragic way to start the day.

“Waking up to a beautiful crystal clear day, the lake is so pristine and someone encountering two dead people is very, very unfortunate.”

A police spokesman said they were in no condition to reveal whether the couple was male or female.

More information on the mysterious deaths would be released shortly.

The Lake Taupo Coast Guard said it had not been contacted about the deaths, nor had there been any search on the lake for the missing boats.