UPDATED 5.06pm: A body has been found in a hot pool in Rotorua. A tourist discovered the body this afternoon and alerted police, Senior Sergeant Karl Konlechner said.

Police attended and cordoned off a large section of the Kuirau Park, opposite Rotorua Hospital.



Police have gathered in Rotorua’s Kuirau Park. Photo: SunLive.



Witnesses described seeing police preparing a stretcher outside a fenced hot pool area.

Police say the death is being treated as unexplained at this stage and will now work to identifying who the person is and establishing their last movements.

Police are liaising with the Coroner.

Earlier:

Rotorua Police have been called to Kuirau Park after a member of the public reported seeing something suspicious in one of the mud-pools.

Police have cordon off the central city park while they search one of the thermal pools in the area.

A police spokesperson could not confirm what the suspicious object is, but did confirm that investigations are ongoing.

“A member of the public has reported seeing something in one of the hotpools,” says the spokesperson.

“We don’t know what yet. We’re just down there having a look.”

A member of the public told SunLive there were a number of police around one of the fenced off pools in the park across from the hospital on Ranolf Street.

Police say they will release more information later on today.