The family of Hazel Nairn have been made aware of the discovery of a body in the River Don.
Police have said the remains of a woman were recovered from the river near Kemnay at around 1.20pm on Tuesday.
Formal identification is yet to take place but the family of the 71-year-old, who was last seen near to Monymusk on Friday, November 18, 2022, have been informed.
The death is currently being treated as unexplained but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.
The grandmother was out with her beloved Westie, Ruaridh, when they were both swept away in the River Don 18 months ago.
Severe flood warnings were in place at the time, with the Kintore area among the worst hit when the river burst its banks.
A huge search involving police, coastguard teams and the local community was quickly launched.
Ruaridh’s body was found within days while official searches for Mrs Nairn continued into the new year.
At the time, police stressed the investigation was still open.
Hazel Nairn’s family continued search mission
Her family and friends have never given up hope of finding her and have organised a number of their own searches.
Mrs Nairn’s daughter, Anneka Gray, made a plea with those frequenting the area to be extra vigilant and keep an eye out for any of her mum’s belongings.
Kayakers, paddleboarders and drone services have also volunteered their time, as well as a group of divers who travelled to Aberdeenshire from Lancashire.
Diver Phil Jones, from Beneath the Surface, led a search on the first anniversary of Mrs Nairn’s disappearance.
He said they would return until they had “adequately” searched all possible areas.
The family placed wreaths at the river on their first Christmas without their much-loved mum and grandmother, and on her birthday.
The Monymusk community also came together to hold a candlelit vigil – Hope for Hazel – in the days after her disappearance.
Today, a police spokesperson said: “The remains of a woman were recovered from the River Don near Kemnay, Inverurie, around 1.20pm on Tuesday, May 7.
“Formal identification has yet to take place but the family of Hazel Nairn, 71, who was last seen near to Monymusk on Friday, November 18, 2022, have been informed.
“The death is currently being treated as unexplained but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
