Specialist monitoring technology has been deployed at Mount Maunganui to protect recovery teams working beneath an unstable landslip, after operations were temporarily halted due to safety concerns.
The search area was evacuated at 11.50am Saturday when a contractor identified potential movement on the slip face, with two independent geotechnical experts advising conditions were too dangerous to continue.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said recovery efforts resumed at 10.30am Sunday following the overnight installation of advanced surveillance equipment flown in from Wellington by helicopter. The system includes three high-resolution cameras creating a continuous “visual web” across a 300-metre-wide section of the slope, supported by drone imagery captured three times daily and constant observation by trained spotters on the ground.
Anderson said the technology allows even slight movements to be detected in real time, enabling teams to be withdrawn immediately if conditions deteriorate. While the risk cannot be eliminated, he said authorities are focused on minimising the danger to those working to recover victims and reunite families with loved ones. Crews are continuing to work methodically through the debris, but Anderson warned there is no timeline for completion due to the complexity and instability of the site. Weather remains the single biggest challenge, with saturated, clay-heavy material needing to be removed layer by layer, and the total volume of the slip potentially reaching tens of thousands of cubic metres.
Further sensors are expected to be installed on the mountain in coming days if conditions allow, though Anderson stressed that “stabilised does not mean safe.” He said rain continues to pose a serious threat, and sustained fine weather is critical before risks can meaningfully reduce. Authorities have reiterated that safety remains paramount, and any sign of movement—no matter how minor—will trigger immediate evacuation of the recovery zone.
