Darren Myers: British man's body found below waterfall in remote New Zealand mountain range

'It happened very suddenly. I don't think he suffered at all', police say

The body of a British hiker who went missing nearly two weeks ago has been found near a waterfall on a mountain range in New Zealand.

Darren Myers appeared to have died from a fall near a waterfall in the Tararua Range outside the capital, Wellington, police said.

“It happened very suddenly. I don’t think he suffered at all,” Police Sergeant Tony Matheson said on Radio New Zealand.

“When you’re undertaking a journey like this, there’s always going to be a risk,” he added.

Myers, a 49-year-old British national who lived in Wellington, had been missing since 1 June.

He had failed to turn up at a designated location during his hiking trip.

Search operations were hampered by rough terrain and bad weather, including snow.

Thousands of hikers visit New Zealand each year to explore its mountains and wildlife.

The Tararua range is popular because it is close to Wellington, but the steep terrain and unpredictable weather can pose a challenge to hikers.