Human remains discovered on a remote island off the Northland coast have been formally identified as those of missing fisherman Ferzil Babu, who disappeared during a fishing trip nearly two years ago.
As per the Indian Weekender, NZ Police confirmed the identification after remains located on Coppermine Island (Mauipane), east of Whangārei, were examined by forensic specialists.
Authorities said pathologists, anthropologists and scientists from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research carried out the assessment that established the remains belonged to Ferzil Babu.
Police said Ferzil Babu had been missing since 1 May 2024 after he went rock fishing at The Gap, a well-known fishing spot at Taiharuru. Officers have since informed his family of the identification.
The remains were found on 20 December 2025 after a staff member from the New Zealand Department of Conservation alerted police to the discovery on the island.
Officers later recovered the remains and began a formal identification process, noting at the time that it was unclear how long they had been there.
Coppermine Island is part of the Hen and Chicken Islands, about 40 kilometres south-east of Whangārei. The island group has been protected as a nature reserve since the early 1900s and landing there requires Department of Conservation permission as well as strict biosecurity measures.
Ferzil Babu, 34, had been fishing with Sarath Kumar, 37, when the pair failed to return home on the night of 1 May 2024. Emergency services were alerted after their vehicle and belongings were located near the shoreline at Whangārei Heads.
Sarath Kumar, a registered nurse working in the emergency department at Whangārei Hospital, was found in the water several days later by the police dive squad.
Searches for Ferzil Babu continued for months, involving shoreline patrols, drones and assistance from multiple agencies, but were hampered by poor sea conditions and strong easterly swells.
Members of the local Malayalee community had described the incident as a devastating loss. Rabin Ranji, secretary of the Whangārei Malayalee Association, previously said the tragedy had shocked the community, prompting fundraising and support efforts for the families.
Sarath Kumar had migrated to New Zealand in late 2023 and had been living in Whangārei for only a few months. He is survived by his wife and five-year-old daughter.
Ferzil Babu had moved to New Zealand in mid-2023 after marrying his wife earlier that year. The couple had welcomed a baby son.
Police said they had conveyed their condolences to Babu’s family as they come to terms with the confirmation of his death.
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