Body found in New Zealand river is missing Melbourne tennis coach Paul Arber, says friend THE body of missing Melbourne tennis coach Paul Arber was found in a New Zealand river this morning, his friend says. Mark Sheppard told The Waikato Times: " The guy's in black shorts, he's been missing four days, there's really not much doubt. It's 100 per cent. It's the worst possibility but I think we've been building ourselves up to it for the past four days that it could have been a possibility for sure...we can't say we were surprised. A schoolgirl rowing crew was heard screaming after they collided with the body, The Waikato Times reported. Mr McAlley said a formal identification would be carried out today. The Australian tennis tour team, including Mr Arber's parents Richelle and Sam Arber, held a ceremony on the banks of the river near where the body was found. Mr Sheppard said Mr Arber was in a "tranquil and happy" state when he entered the river. "Paul was getting in touch with nature, it was 4am, he's actually gone into that river to have a swim," he told The Waikato Times. He hasn't been in the mental frame of mind to ascertain the dangers of the river or the treachery of the river, but what actually happened to Paul was an accident. It was 100 per cent an accident. He was in a happy state of mind and in a tranquil state of mind. Mr Sheppard said Mr Arber's parents were thankful for everyone's help. "Obviously they're terribly upset about it," he said. Mr Arber and Mrs Arber thought the location where everything was found, as morbid as it might sound, they just thought he couldn't have wished for anywhere more beautiful. In the worst possible outcome, they felt as happy as they could possibly be. Earlier, local woman Beth Lynch told The Waikato Times that she was walking her dog near the river when she heard the schoolgirls screaming. The Arber's said their son was acting uncharacteristically the night before he left Australia to bring a group of teenage tennis players to Hamilton for a tournament.