The recovery operation at Mount Maunganui has resumed, several hours after being suspended this morning.

Detective Inspector Lew Warner says work restarted officially at 2pm, after the team received confirmation from experts that the area was safe to enter and resume operations.

“Following consultation with a number of experts on the ground, the recovery teams have been given the green light to continue with the recovery.

One person has died following a crash this afternoon on State Highway 7/Mouse Point Road, Tekoa Range, Hurunui.

Police were notified of the crash, involving a motorcycle and a car, around 12pm.

Sadly, despite emergency services best efforts, the motorcyclist died at the scene.

The road remains closed, between Hanmer Springs and Culverden, while the Serious Crash Unit carry out a scene examination.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Whangārei CIB is seeking a motorist who gave a lift to the victim of an assault in Onerahi early this morning.

That motorist is not being sought over the offending, but their information could help progress enquiries.

“Sometime between 4am and 4.45am, the assault victim has been picked up in the Onerahi area by a member of the public,” Detective Sergeant Pieter Serfontein says.

“Our enquiries are still in the very early stages, but we know that the motorist drove the victim to a property in Raumanga before carrying on.

The recovery effort to reunite loved ones with their families following last week’s landslide at Mount Maunganui is continuing, supported by Police from across the country.

Dog handlers, family liaison officers, specialist search teams and other staff have been arriving in the Bay of Plenty District to provide support to the dozens of staff who have been on the ground since Thursday’s slip.

Inspector Will Loughrin, Acting Bay of Plenty District Commander, says recovery teams are making good progress but they still have days of work ahead of them.

Attribute to Kāpiti-Mana Area Commander, Inspector Renée Perkins:

Two people have died in a helicopter crash north of Wellington this morning.

Police were notified to the crash in the Paekākāriki Hill area at about 7.30am.

Tragically, both the pilot and the sole passenger were located deceased following the crash.

Our thoughts are with their families at this time.

Work is ongoing to recover the deceased and to examine the crash scene, which will be done in conjunction with investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Police have arrested and charged a man in relation to the shooting at Marriner Reserve, Palmerston North, earlier this month.

On Monday 12 January, emergency services responded to a report of gunshots heard on Marriner Street, where they located a victim with serious gunshot related injuries.

Police conducted extensive enquiries to identify a person of interest in relation to the matter, including appealing to the public for CCTV of the area.

Please attribute to Sergeant Lee-Ann Grant

Police are investigating a robbery in Napier overnight where cash from the tills were taken.

Four males have entered the Z Service Station on Tennyson and Station Streets at about 1.15am today.

The males have threatened staff and taken cash tills and fled in a vehicle.

Police are seeking the public’s help to locate the vehicle, a blue Mazda Familia Station wagon.

No one was harmed during the incident; however those involved will be referred to Victim Support services.

Police can now confirm the names of the two people who died during a landslide on Welcome Bay Rd, Papamoa on Thursday.

Ten-year-old Austen Keith Richardson and his grandmother, 71-year-old Yao Fang (pronounced Fung), died after the house they were in was extensively damaged by a landslide.

Police continue to support the family through this extremely difficult time.

Their deaths have been referred to the Coroner.

The following is a statement released on behalf of Keith and Angel: