WBOP Area Commander Inspector Clifford Paxton talks about the police officer who jumped into the water to help the 23-year-old passenger of the van.

The body of the driver of an electrical company van that plunged into the harbour off Maungatapu causeway after a three-vehicle crash last night has been recovered.

Divers located the Tauranga man, aged in his 20s, inside the submerged van belonging to Mount Maunganui's AMP'T Electrical late this morning.

A McLeod crane was used to pull the submerged van from the harbour at about 1pm today.

The van has been recovered from the harbour.

McLeod Cranes is pulling the van from the harbour.

The driver is believed to have a young family including a baby on the way.

He was in the van with his workmate, a 23-year-old man, when it crashed off the Welcome Bay side of the causeway about 6.10pm.

Maungatapu causeway is now open again after a section of State Highway 29 was closed for a scene examination earlier.

New Zealand Transport Agency advises a temporary speed limit of 50km/h remains in place.

"All lanes are now open, the speed limit has been reduced as we still need to permanently secure the bridge railing damaged in yesterday's serious crash, this 50 km/h speed limit will be in place until repairs are completed," says highways manager Brett Gliddon.”

Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton says a McLeod Crane was used to remove the van from the water.

'The police dive squad located the vehicle this morning and the person who was missing last night has been accounted for.”

Police say the driver's next of kin are being advised and a formal identification process will be undertaken before the man's identity is released.

The regional harbourmaster was called to help the police dive squad who located the van earlier. Lifeguards also assisted.

The driver's 23-year-old colleague was able to escape from the submerged van after the crash and was retrieved from the harbour by a heroic police constable who stripped down to his underwear and jumped in the water.

The man disappeared under the water but then re-surfaced and the officer grabbed hold of him as they were carried by the current. The officer managed to calm the man down and turn him on to his back.

After about half an hour focusing on flashlights being used by searchers on the shore, the 53-year-old officer managed to guide the passenger and himself back to shore.

Both were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Clifford says police are very proud of the officer's efforts.

"What he did was pretty outstanding. He evaluated the situation, believed he could make a difference, and clearly he did make a difference.

'I have already had members of the public call me this morning to pass on their congratulations."

The 30-year-old woman, 31-year-old man from one of the vehicles in the crash have been discharged from hospital.

A 45-year-old man in another vehicle remains in hospital in a stable condition.

Police are still investigating how the crash occured but believe one of the vehicles travelling towards Mount Maunganui crossed the centreline colliding with an oncoming vehicle.

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