POLICE offered the services of a chaplain to the friends of German backpacker Arvid Stenzel after they recovered his body from Lake Canobolas yesterday morning.
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At about 10.30am police divers located the body of the missing 19-year-old German and police are preparing a report for the coroner.
Mr Stenzel was camping at the lake with friends when he went missing some time after 2am on Sunday.
After going for a walk, Mr Stenzel told the group he felt like going for a swim.
The group returned to their nearby campsite, however it wasn’t until the next morning they discovered Mr Stenzel was missing.
Mr Stenzel was working as a fruit picker with 10 others at a nearby orchard.
Canobolas Local Area Command Inspector Dave Harvey said yesterday afternoon police were notifying Mr Stenzel’s family in Germany.
“It was an operation which involved several different groups,” Inspector Harvey said. “The dog unit at Dubbo, police from Canobolas Local Area Command, air wing police, police diving unit and volunteer SES and RFS members all assisted in the search.”
Orange City Council general manager Garry Styles said the council would be co-operating with police as they investigate how the tragedy happened.
“This young man had come to Orange from Germany as part of a working holiday and I can’t imagine the sadness his family and friends must be feeling,” Mr Styles said.
“In due course Orange City Council will be reviewing arrangements about the camping area at the lake to see what can be learned.
“But in the meantime what’s important is making sure the man’s friends, family and council staff at the lake are looked after.”