A body recovered from the shallows of an island on the Gold Coast in Australia yesterday has been confirmed as Queenstown teenager Richard Doyle.
Mr Doyle (19) was found in the waters just off South Stradbroke Island about 5.30am local time (8.30am New Zealand time) yesterday.
He was transported back to the Gold Coast, where he was positively identified by his father Peter Doyle, chairman of the Wakatipu High School board of trustees.
The family were on holiday on the Gold Coast until Richard went swimming at Northcliffe, south of Surfers Paradise, on Monday morning.
His personal belongings were found on the beach and a major search operation, involving 20 police officers, divers, pilots and lifeguards, was launched.
Richard Doyle was raised in Queenstown and attended Wakatipu High School.
He was an apprentice signwriter in the resort, then started work at Bachop Visual Imaging Ltd, in Dunedin, last winter.
Close friends declined to comment or were unavailable last night.
A tribute page, titled "Rest In Peace Richard Doyle", was created by Hayley McFadyen on a social networking website and was attracting members yesterday.
One friend posted: "What a loss for everyone. You have put a smile on people's faces from the day you were born. We will all miss your gorgeous face and smile."
Queensland police Surfers Paradise media officer Kelly Murray yesterday said there were no suspicious circumstances.
A Westpac rescue helicopter conducting a routine sweep of South Stradbroke Island found Mr Doyle in the shallows off the coast, about 15km from where he was last seen.
Mr Doyle was airlifted back to base, in the Gold Coast suburb of Carrara, where he was identified by his father.
Ms Kelly said the body would be transported for postmortem and autopsy at the John Tonge Centre, in Brisbane.
Then the body would be released into Mr Doyle's custody.
When asked how Mr Doyle and his other sons, Matt (21) and Timmy (16), were coping, Ms Kelly said: "They are relieved, more than anything, for the whole process to be over, to have his boy back.
"We've had a New Zealand police liaison officer over here and more family members have arrived."
Queensland police were aware Richard Doyle lived with epilepsy and was taking medication.
An autopsy would determine whether he experienced a seizure while swimming.
Ms Kelly said drownings were common on the Gold Coast during the summer, particularly among tourists.
"A lot of them don't swim to the surf conditions . . . and don't realise how treacherous these waters can be."
