Six People Remain Unaccounted for following Landslide in Mt Maunganui

2026-01-25 - 21:09

Source: 1News and RNZ Six people remain unaccounted for after a major landslide at a campground in Mount Maunganui on Thursday morning. The slip occurred at Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mauao on Thursday morning, which hit the campsite’s toilet and shower block, knocking over camper vans and tents. Bay of Plenty Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said six people were unaccounted for, including two teenagers – the youngest of whom was 15. He said there had not been any signs of life under the rubble today, “but we live in hope”. Three others were international tourists who had checked in to the holiday park, who police were seeking further information on. “[The tourists] would have departed the area... We don’t believe they’re here but we’ve still got to do that inquiry,” he said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a media standup following a visit to the site that the country was “full of grief”, calling the incident an “absolute tragedy”. He acknowledged the complex array of emotions experienced by the families of those unaccounted for following the landslip. Diggers work at the site of the Mount Maunganui landslip. Photo Credit: Supplied “There’s massive hope, there’s massive worry, concern, but every individual that I spoke to is handling it in slightly different ways, as you would expect,” he said. “All we can do is make sure that we’re offering the very best support to those families.” Samoa’s leading provider of ICT Solutions. Two people were confirmed to have died in a separate slip on Welcome Bay Rd – one of them was a Chinese national and authorities were working with the embassy. Police postponed the recovery efforts at Mount Maunganui today at 11.50am. Samoa’s beautiful Taumeasina Island Resort. In an update this evening, Bay of Plenty district commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said a crack had been seen above the slip area. The search area had been evacuated after a driver noticed “potential instability” on the face of the slip earlier in the day. “The safety of the people working on the recovery is at the front of our mind, and the risk today is too significant to allow us to carry on,” he said. “Families have been told of the decision and our commitment to resume work as soon as possible.” The decision to postpone the recovery today was made after advice by two independent geotechnical experts, Anderson said. Visit our website today and invest in your future. “Rain and wind is continuing to complicate the recovery effort and a crack has now been seen above the slip area.” Anderson called the decision to postpone recovery efforts difficult, and “not something we do unless there are very real concerns”. Additional staff are also being brought to the area to relieve staff working on the recovery, he said. “Everyone involved is committed to bringing family’s loved ones home. “It is exhausting, gruelling work and I’m incredibly proud of them.” Further information would be provided when it becomes available, Anderson added. Specials and Promotions! Send money via nbs Until 31 January 2026