MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand — Police on Saturday called off rescue efforts for six people buried by a landslide at a popular campsite in Mount Maunganui, saying the operation has shifted to recovering bodies after authorities concluded there were no survivors. “Tragically it is now apparent that we will not be able to bring them home alive,” Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said, adding that formal identification procedures are underway. Two teenagers, both aged 15, are among those unaccounted for. Search teams located human remains beneath mud and debris late Friday after the landslide struck the campsite following days of heavy rainfall on New Zealand’s North Island, Anderson said. “This is heartbreaking news for the families and the dozens of people who have been working day and night, hoping for a positive outcome,” he said. In a separate incident nearby, two people — a grandmother and her grandchild — were killed in another landslide in Welcome Bay, according to Radio New Zealand. Authorities said persistent rain and unstable ground conditions severely hampered rescue efforts, describing the scene at Mount Maunganui as “incredibly challenging” and unsafe for prolonged operations. Fire and emergency crews searched through the night before the operation was formally handed over to police on Saturday. Anderson said the safety of personnel remained the top priority. Police identified the six missing individuals as Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50, of Morrinsville; Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, of Sweden; Jacqualine Suzanne Wheeler, 71, of Rotorua; Susan Doreen Knowles, 71, of Ngongotaha; and two Auckland teenagers, Sharon Maccanico, 15, and Max Furse-Kee, 15. Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton said the identification process would be complex and time-consuming. “We will work very carefully — and as quickly as we can — to reunite families,” she said. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the site on Friday, praising the community response as residents helped clear debris in surrounding flood-affected areas. Mount Maunganui, a sacred Māori site and one of New Zealand’s most popular camping destinations, has been hit by multiple landslides in recent years.MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand — Police on Saturday called off rescue efforts for six people buried by a landslide at a popular campsite in Mount Maunganui, saying the operation has shifted to recovering bodies after authorities concluded there were no survivors. “Tragically it is now apparent that we will not be able to bring them home alive,” Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said, adding that formal identification procedures are underway. Two teenagers, both aged 15, are among those unaccounted for. Search teams located human remains beneath mud and debris late Friday after the landslide struck the campsite following days of heavy rainfall on New Zealand’s North Island, Anderson said. “This is heartbreaking news for the families and the dozens of people who have been working day and night, hoping for a positive outcome,” he said. In a separate incident nearby, two people — a grandmother and her grandchild — were killed in another landslide in Welcome Bay, according to Radio New Zealand. Authorities said persistent rain and unstable ground conditions severely hampered rescue efforts, describing the scene at Mount Maunganui as “incredibly challenging” and unsafe for prolonged operations. Fire and emergency crews searched through the night before the operation was formally handed over to police on Saturday. Anderson said the safety of personnel remained the top priority. Police identified the six missing individuals as Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50, of Morrinsville; Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, of Sweden; Jacqualine Suzanne Wheeler, 71, of Rotorua; Susan Doreen Knowles, 71, of Ngongotaha; and two Auckland teenagers, Sharon Maccanico, 15, and Max Furse-Kee, 15. Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton said the identification process would be complex and time-consuming. “We will work very carefully — and as quickly as we can — to reunite families,” she said. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the site on Friday, praising the community response as residents helped clear debris in surrounding flood-affected areas. Mount Maunganui, a sacred Māori site and one of New Zealand’s most popular camping destinations, has been hit by multiple landslides in recent years.
Rescue effort ends after landslide kills six in New Zealand
