Police release names of six missing people after Mount Maunganui landslide
Saturday, 24 January 2026
Sharon Maccanico has been named as one of the six missing people at the Mount Maunganui landslide.
The 15-year-old, originally from Avellino, situated in the southern part of Italy, near Naples, was believed to now live in Auckland.
Maccanico was officially named among the missing on Saturday afternoon by police.
Reporting out of Italy, and online clips, showed she was a keen hip hop dancer.
On social media, Italian family had asked their local community to join in prayer at a church service in Picarelli, 'in the hope that a miracle will happen for our Sharon'.
Fifty-year-old Morrinsville school teacher Lisa Anne Maclennan was also confirmed as missing.
Earlier on Saturday, Morrinsville Intermediate School principal Jenny Clark posted on Facebook, saying it was with “great sadness” that Maclennan, a literacy tutor at the school, was among the missing at the Mount.
“We continue to hope and pray for Lisa … Our love and aroha go out to Lisa's family,' the post read.
Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, has been confirmed as the Swedish citizen missing in the landslide.
The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier confirmed that a citizen was unaccounted for in Aotearoa.
“The Ministry for Foreign Affairs can confirm that one Swedish citizen is unaccounted for in New Zealand,” the ministry’s press office said in a statement.
“We cannot make any further comment on this individual case due to consular confidentiality.”
The response came after Stuff queried whether any Swedish citizens were missing following the Mt Maunganui landslide.
Other people confirmed as missing by police included Susan Doreen Knowles, 71, from Ngongotaha.
The Post had earlier spoken to her husband Robin who declined to comment but confirmed she was among the missing.
Gerald van der Meer from Eves Real Estate Rotorua branch had said Knowles holidayed at the Mount every year, but declined to comment further.
The final two people confirmed missing on Saturday were Jacqualine Suzanne Wheeler, 71, from Rotorua, and 15-year-old Pakuranga College student Max Furse-Kee, who also went to school with Maccanico.
In a post on Facebook, Furse-Kee’s school acknowledged the deaths of both Furse-Kee and Maccanico.
“The college has been in contact with both families to express our heartfelt sympathy and aroha.
“Many members of the college have been deeply impacted by the news and we are working to support students and staff in the coming days and weeks. The wellbeing of our college community is paramount as the school year starts next week under incredibly sad circumstances,” the post read.
The rescue operation has since moved to a recovery, with police saying on Saturday that they would not be able to bring anyone home alive.
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