The teenage boy who drowned in northwest NSW has been identified as a recent refugee from Myanmar .

The body of the 15-year-old was found in Tamworth’s Peel River about 8.30am on Tuesday after he was reported missing the night before.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Body recovered in Tamworth river search.

The boy was cooling off with his family near Paradise Bridge on Monday afternoon when a kayak floated into the middle of the river.

Police said he tried to retrieve it but experienced difficulty swimming in the water, which was deep and had a strong current.

After he failed to resurface, his family reported him missing about 7.30pm, prompting a frantic search by emergency services that ended in tragedy.

Police confirmed the boy and his family were refugees from Myanmar who had arrived

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