Police revealed today they have recovered two mobile phones - one waterproof and still working -- that belonged to pregnant Wellington woman Sonam Shelar, whose body was found earlier this week after an extensive, high-profile search.
Authorities have not ruled out foul play as the possible cause of death for the 26-year-old.
"Naturally, the family are devastated," Detective Senior Sergeant Warwick McKee told media this morning as he made another plea for "crucial" CCTV and dashcam footage from people who were recently in the Island Bay area, where the phones were found.
The Wellington woman, who was last seen alive last weekend, was five months pregnant.
Police are also continuing to examine the scene at remote White Rock beach in South Wairarapa, where her body was found on Wednesday by three young surfers.
Sonam's husband, Sagar Shelar, told 1 NEWS late this afternoon he wanted to thank the surfers who found his wife at a remote beach in Wairarapa.
"I would like to thank the following people and organisations for all their efforts and support during this sad time for me, and our families, and my close friends. The New Zealand police, media, the surfers who found my wife Sonam and all the residents around Wellington who helped during the search of my wife Sonam Shelar," he said.
He said he didn't want to comment further until the police have released the results of their investigation.
Police divers today were in the water looking for clues into Sonam Shelar’s death
"We'd like to get some answers in regards to how Mrs Shelar died and how she wound up at the beach here in South Wairarapa," Mr McKee said, explaining that investigators now have provisional cause of death findings but are waiting for forensic analysis to come back before a cause of death is announced.
Ms Shelar, who was five months pregnant, was last seen by her husband at 8.30am on Cashmere Ave in Khandallah on Saturday.
Others in the household last saw her Friday night, police said.
Mr Shelar told Stuff his wife's mood had "changed a lot" after she had an ultrasound on November 15 that was inconclusive as to the baby's sex. But Ms Shelar's family in India reportedly denies this.
Family spokesman and family member Harshal Patkar told the NZ Herald that the family, especially Sonam's mother, thought she was murdered.
Ms Shelar's family told the NZ Herald they were adamant that she was not upset about an ultrasound scan indicating that she was having a girl and say she would not harm herself.
Mrs Shelar washed up on White Rock Beach in Wairarapa, five days after she went missing.
"We are trying to determine how she died, how she ended up here on the south coast, and any movements between her home address and how she got here," Mr McKee told reporters assembled outside the Martinborough Police Station today.
He commended the many people who have already turned over CCTV and dashcam footage, as well as the surfers who found her body.
"She was located on the beach here in South Wairarapa - it's a pretty remote area -- by three surfers," he said. "I just want to thank them for coming forward to police. They obviously had to come out of the ocean and walk a couple of kilometres to the nearest farmhouse to place a call to police.
"These three chaps were fairly young and it was fairly traumatic for them, so we're providing welfare and support to them at this time."
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