Live: Community gathers for vigil as first Mount Maunganui landslide victims recovered

Thursday, 29 January 2026

Recovery efforts were again suspended at Mount Maunganui for about three hours today. Potential land movement was detected at the disaster site, but work resumed at two this afternoon.

What you need to know

The first two victims of last week’s fatal landslide at Mount Maunganui have been formally identified. Six people are presumed to have died in the tragedy.
Police said at Coroners Court hearings on Wednesday and Thursday that they believed the bodies of of Max Furse-Kee, 15, and Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, had been recovered.
Recovery operations at the site of the slip were temporarily halted on Thursday after a land movement alert was triggered. Days of further work are expected.

A landslide ploughed into a Mt Maunganui holiday park, with six people presumed dead.

Follow the latest developments.