Working Conditions Aboard the Ocean-Recovery

Navy divers successfully located the second body of a plane crash victim at approximately 3:30 PM on April 7, during ongoing recovery operations. This significant milestone occurred as the HMNZS 'Manawanui' utilized its crane to retrieve a section of the downed aircraft. Following this recovery, the distressed plane will be transported to Auckland by the Navy, acting on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority, where accident investigators are poised to take over the case. The earlier recovery of the first body took place on April 6 at noon, nearly a week after the couple's twin-engine Beechcraft Baron aircraft went down approximately 20 km from the Raglan coastline. Both bodies are being transferred to Auckland for a post-mortem examination scheduled for April 8. Throughout this challenging operation, Navy divers completed five dives at depths reaching 56 meters, battling difficult environmental conditions that included varied swells, powerful bottom currents, and severely restricted underwater visibility. Complicating the task further was the condition of the aircraft, which was broken apart upon impact. One diver sustained injuries while operating on the wreckage and was subsequently medically evacuated to Auckland as a safety precaution. The HMNZS 'Manawanui' arrived at the crash site on April 4 to facilitate these efforts. For further updates, visit our full report with images at http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8515213/Swells-stall-plane-wreck-recovery.