The recovery operation at the Mt Maunganui landslide has resumed this morning, after it had to be paused yesterday due to risk of another slip.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has confirmed recovery work at the slip site has resumed after a geotech assessment.

Mitchell said new technical equipment had been brought onto the site and experts had assessed the risk as acceptable for workers to continue the recovery at the base of Mauao. 

Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said specialist monitoring equipment was brought in overnight.

The search area was evacuated at 11.50am yesterday, after a contractor driver noticed potential instability on the face of the slip.

Following advice from two independent geotechnical experts, it was deemed too hazardous for teams to continue working.

Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson. Photo / NZME

Anderson said the recovery effort resumed at 10.30am.

“Additional monitoring equipment has been brought in and specialist crews removed loose material that was of concern above the slip area this morning.

“This has meant recovery teams are able to return to work and continue the effort to return loved ones to their families.

“The safety of everyone working at the slip is important to us, and we will continue to monitor the hillside closely.”

A steady flow of people have come to pay their respects at the Mount cordon. 

'I wish I could have hugged you a little tighter': Friend posts tribute to young victim

 A friend of Sharon Maccanico, 15, who was killed by the landslide, says she wished she hugged her “a little tighter” the last time she saw her.

The tribute was posted on TikTok.

“Sharon, everyone here will miss you, you made life a little less boring every time you came to visit us, I hope God takes care of you and Max.

“I wish I could have hugged you a little tighter the last time we said goodbye, we will take care of your family.”

Meanwhile, Tauranga City Council has launched an investigation into what happened leading up to the deadly landslide.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale told Ryan Bridge today on Herald NOW that the independent review would consider why the decision was made to close the walking track, but not the area below, in the hours before the deadly landslide.

He said work would get underway to recover the six bodies "as soon as clearance was given" this morning.

Drysdale said theorising would "could have been" and what "might have happened differently" is unhelpful when the bodies have yet to be recovered.

"We just don't want to launch little bits of information here, there and everywhere, you know, without going through a proper process.

"So that's very much what we're determined to do. And we can look at the facts as they stand and look at the timelines, rather than saying, you know, we knew this or that there."

He said interest in the inquiry would not wane, given six people lost their lives, so the council are prepared to do a thorough investigation.

"We just want to be certain what the facts are, what we did know, what decisions we did make, and were they the right ones in those circumstances.

"But, you know, at the end of the day, this was a natural disaster, but was there more we could have done to, you know, stop that tragic loss of life?

"You know, we want to know as much as the community and the families around that. And that's, you know, again the assurance that I give you, we will find those answers."