UPDATED 3.46PM: Police have named Feilding 17-year-old Cole Justice Williams as the teenager who drowned in the Waikato River, near Taupo.

The teen's body was discovered by police yesterday evening after he got into trouble while swimming with a friend near Riverside Park.

A teenager has drowned in the Waikato River near Taupo.

Police say after diving into the river the man surfaced for a while then disappeared.

Police were notified by the swimmer's friend and searchers found his body half an hour later.

The Police National Dive Squad was called in last night to retrieve the teen's body.

Police say the circumstances surrounding his death are not suspicious and have been reported to the Coroner.

'Police are aware that there were other people on the riverbank who would have seen what happened; a couple of people actually spoke to officers briefly at the scene but left without providing their details,” says a statement from police.

'Police would like to speak to these people to get their account of events, or anyone else who has information that might assist the investigation on behalf of the Coroner.”

Police and Victim Support are now supporting his friends and family.