Questions remain after missing person river discovery

Mystery persists around the death of a man whose body was found in a Tasmanian river more than six years after he went missing on a trip to get breakfast.

Dale Nicholson, 61, was last seen leaving his home at New Norfolk, about 35km northwest of Hobart, on the morning of December 10, 2016 in his 1993 blue Ford Fairmont sedan.

His body was found by divers in January 2023 inside his sedan submerged in the River Derwent, less than two kilometres from where he set off.

Coroner Simon Cooper, who in 2021 ruled Mr Nicholson had died, reopened his investigation on the basis of new evidence.

In findings published on Thursday, Mr Cooper said there were no suspicious circumstances around Mr Nicholson's death.

Mr Cooper was unable to determine the cause of death, but said the circumstances in which Mr Nicholson's body was found suggested he probably drowned.

"The evidence does not allow me to conclude that Mr Nicholson caused his vehicle to enter the water with the intention of taking his own life," Mr Cooper said.

"It is equally possible to my mind that Mr Nicholson lost control of his vehicle and entered the river by accident and was unable to extricate himself."

A fishing rod, glasses, coins, a cigarette lighter, keys and clothing were found in the car.

Mr Cooper thanked Adventures with Purpose - the diving group that found Mr Nicholson's body.

In a social media video, divers involved said the car had been protected from underwater debris by a large tree.

They found the car in a section of the river near a swimming pool car park.

Mr Nicholson was reported missing by his family on December 11, 2016, sparking an extensive search in the surrounding Derwent Valley and further afield.

Mr Nicholson had a "good circle" of friends who found his disappearance out of character, according to the national missing persons register.

Mr Cooper conveyed his condolences to Mr Nicholson's loved ones and hoped the discovery of his body and the coronial finding would bring some measure of closure.