Remains found at Mt Maunganui landslide site: ‘We’re now moving into a recovery phase’

Saturday, 24 January 2026

Search teams at the Mount Maunganui campground slip site have been painstakingly sifting through mud and debris searching for those missing, presumed dead, following the discovery of remains overnight.

On Saturday afternoon police confirmed its search had turned from a rescue operation to recovery.

This afternoon, search teams with contractors and diggers, were continuing to work towards the amenities block where some of those missing were last seen and heard.

“It’s taken two days to get to this point, but they’re getting closer,” Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said.

“From what we have seen, the building suffered catastrophic damage and we are confronted with the reality that it is highly unlikely anyone would have been able to survive.

“The material that slipped from the mountain is sodden. It’s heavy and hit with massive force. The impact, movement and weight means this is an incredibly challenging scene to work through, and those involved are doing their jobs admirably and respectfully.”

The chief coroner, Anna Tutton, is now on the scene and disaster victim identification processes would follow.

Anderson said it was a “heartbreaking” outcome.

“Everyone’s been hoping for the best, but we’re now in a situation where overnight we have found human remains.”

He said while emergency services and experts had remained hopeful, the advice was now the likelihood of anyone being recovered was “highly unlikely”. There had been no indication of signs of life.

Names of the missing and presumed dead have now been released, however there was a complex disaster victim identification process to follow.

Victims would be transported to the mortuary at Hamilton and will be kept there until they are reunited with families.

Families had been updated.

“Our hearts go out to them. We couldn’t begin to imagine what’s going through their minds right now. Obviously it’s a really sad and tragic occasion.”

Reporters at the press conference had been given a coronial fact sheet on disaster victim identification processes.

Chief Coroner Anna Tutton said it was an “unimaginably terrible time” for families.

“I want to assure the families and friends of those who are unaccounted for that once recovery of [remaining] victims is possible, they will be treated with dignity and respect.”

Known specific cultural needs would be respected to the greatest extent possible, she said.

Anderson said the ongoing process of recovery and identification would be complex: “I don’t think anyone would have envisaged a slip that size in terms of the depth and the width of it…there’s still a lot of mud.”

David Guard, Fire and Emergency regional manager, described a careful “delayering” of the site. Twenty-five urban search and rescue personnel had been on site since the disaster. They were working with contractors and diggers and police “in a very, very delicate way.”

“So even though they’re very large diggers, they’re actually delayering very sensitively, just thin slivers at a time to ensure that, you know, anything in the way of human remains is identified.

“This has been a harrowing job. My thoughts go out to the families.”

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