Investigators told Fairfax Media  on Sunday there were “no obvious signs of foul play” or injuries and police were awaiting an autopsy on Monday to determine the cause of death.

They also expect to formally identify the man on Monday, but early investigations indicate the body belongs to a 43-year-old man reported missing from ­nearby Lorn. 

The family of the missing man is helping police with their inquiries. The man’s body was discovered in the middle of the Hunter River at Morpeth about 5.30pm on Friday. 

Police said a group of people in a boat spotted something up ahead and once they realised it was a body managed to push it closer to shore. 

Police retrieved the body and established a crime scene. 

It was still unclear exactly how long the man had been in the water. 

Water police scoured the banks of the river over the weekend for anything suspicious or anything left behind, but their search came up empty. 

Police have asked anyone with information about the man’s death to contact Central Hunter police on 4934 0200 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Meanwhile, the body of a young woman found at Redhead could be as young as 15. 

Police said the body was found near a popular bushwalking track at Redhead on Saturday.

Two bushwalkers stumbled upon the female’s body on a path off Ocean Street about 2.25pm.

Lake Macquarie police said the circumstances surrounding her death are not being treated as suspicious.  

But police are attempting to identify her and are appealing for public assistance.

The female is described as Caucasian, aged between 15 and 25, with a thin build, fair skin and bright dyed red hair.

She has a number of tattoos including three small stars on her right hip, a love heart on her left hip with the letters “K & P” on either side and an Egyptian eye on her left thigh. Police found some property believed to belong to the female, but no identification. The body was found not far from a popular walking trail that joins Dudley and Redhead through the Awabakal Nature Reserve. 

Investigators are urging anyone with information about the female to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.