WELLINGTON, New Zealand --
Two people are dead after a helicopter they were flying to fight a fire crashed into the ocean off New Zealand's far north coast.
The two have not yet been formally identified but are presumed to be a pilot and a conservation worker.
Commercial divers on Thursday located two bodies in the wreck off the remote Karikari peninsula. Police divers were in the process of removing the corpses.
Northland Police inspector Lou Alofa said the helicopter was found in about 23 feet (seven meters) of water. He said the chopper went missing Wednesday night while fighting a large scrub fire about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of the township of Kaitaia.
Far North District Council spokesman Richard Edmondson said Thursday the fire continued to burn although firefighters now believed they had it contained. Edmondson said he has heard the fire has burned down three homes.
He said authorities imposed a fire ban in the area Tuesday due to recent hot weather, and that the fire is being treated as suspicious.
Department of Conservation spokesman Rory Newsam said a Northland staff member is missing and the agency was meeting with the family of the worker.
