A man whose body was pulled from the Waikato River today was the son of a Hamilton City Councillor.

Nicky Tairoa Stevens went missing on Monday after leaving the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre at Waikato Hospital.

His body was found in the river this morning.

His father, Councillor Dave MacPherson has issued a statement, saying Nicky had some tortured times, and the one consolation is they're now over for him.