The body of a female has been found in the Niagara River by New York state officials.

The discovery was made Thursday morning after an employee at Cave of the Winds, near the lower Niagara, spotted something floating in the water.

The body was recovered about 30 metres below Cave of the Winds.

The discovery comes as officials search for the remains of a Japanese woman who fell into the river last Sunday.

Ayano Tokumasu, a 20-year-old woman studying in Toronto, fell over the railing as she attempted to snap a photo.

An autopsy is being scheduled to determine the cause of death and the identity of the body, CTV Toronto reported.