Police Identify Victims of Paekākāriki Hill Helicopter Crash

Two individuals, Cole Christopher Ritchie, 25, from Wharepapa South, and Joseph Mark Keeley, 54, from Tauhara, died in a helicopter crash on Paekākāriki Hill near Wellington at around 7:30 am last Wednesday. Both were pest control contractors working on the Transmission Gulley project. The incident prompted a coordinated response involving emergency services, aviation authorities, local iwi, and regional partners. Police have confirmed their identities following the tragic event.

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