Members of the public have been laying heartfelt tributes at the site of a devastating landslide in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, triggered by relentless heavy rains. The sombre scene has become a focal point for community mourning as authorities continue their efforts in the wake of the tragedy.
Six Victims Identified as Search Moves to Recovery Phase
Police have officially named the six individuals buried in the landslide that struck a holiday park campsite last week, confirming with heavy hearts that they are unlikely to be found alive. The victims represent a cross-section of the community, their lives tragically cut short by the natural disaster.
The list includes two 15-year-old students from Pakūranga College: Sharon Maccanico and Max Furse-Kee. Also among the victims is Lisa Maclennan, a 50-year-old literacy coordinator, along with longtime friends Jacqualine Wheeler and Susan Knowles, both aged 71. Completing the group is Måns Loke Bernhardsson, a 20-year-old Swedish national.
Police Confirm Shift from Rescue to Recovery
Police Superintendent Tim Anderson addressed the media over the weekend, explaining that the operation has transitioned from a rescue mission to a recovery effort. Search teams have been meticulously working through the massive accumulation of dirt and debris that crashed into the campsite on Thursday, but the grim reality has become apparent.
"Search teams have been working through the slip layer by layer, but tragically it is now apparent that we will not be able to bring them home alive," Anderson stated solemnly. "We informed the families of this news this morning ... They are going through something very few people could understand, and we ask that they be given space to grieve."
Human remains were discovered on Friday, with formal identification procedures now underway. Recovery operations resumed on Monday morning after the site was temporarily deemed potentially unstable on Sunday.
Heartbreaking Tributes from Grieving Families
In a poignant statement provided to police, Hannah Furse, mother of 15-year-old Max Furse-Kee, expressed the unimaginable pain her family is enduring. "My love for Max is impossible to explain, no words are big enough to describe this love or loss," she wrote. "What I can say is from the moment I first looked at his beautiful blue eyes almost 16 years ago he had my whole heart, he was my sunshine."
Max was due to celebrate his sixteenth birthday this week, making the tragedy particularly poignant. "Life without Max is impossible to imagine. In truth, all of this feels impossible to imagine. We are endlessly proud of who he is and that he is ours," Furse added.
According to reports from the NZ Herald, Max had been holidaying with fellow student Sharon Maccanico, who originally hailed from the southern Italian town of Picarelli but lived in Auckland.
Community Mourns Beloved Literacy Coordinator
Morrinsville Intermediate School announced "with great sadness" that Lisa Maclennan, their literacy centre tutor, was among the victims. Jenny Clark, speaking on behalf of the school, requested privacy for the family during this difficult time.
Messages of condolence described Maclennan as "loved by many" with a "heart of gold," highlighting her significant contributions to the young people in her community.
Community Vigil and Political Response
Approximately 200 members of the Mount Maunganui community gathered for a vigil on Sunday evening, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in attendance. "There's a solemnness, there's a sadness, there's a heaviness that's here in the community," Luxon told the NZ Herald. "People are wanting to find a way through that."
Broader Weather Impacts Across New Zealand
The Mount Maunganui landslide was one of several natural disasters to strike New Zealand last week as a series of storms battered the North Island. The severe weather caused widespread flooding, road closures, and power outages across the region.
In a separate incident, two people—including one Chinese national—lost their lives when another landslide crashed into a house in Papamoa, south of Tauranga, on Thursday. Additionally, another man was killed after being swept down a river near Warkworth, north of Auckland.
Calls for Investigation into Tragedy
On Monday, Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale announced there would be a full and independent investigation into the Mount Maunganui landslide tragedy. This decision comes amid growing questions about why people were not evacuated despite reports of slips near the campsite and neighbouring areas earlier on Thursday.
"There are legitimate questions that need to be asked," Drysdale told RNZ. "For the sake of the families and for our community, everyone wants to know that everything was done and that everyone is safe going forward."
The community continues to grapple with the aftermath of this devastating event, as recovery efforts persist and families mourn their irreplaceable losses.
