However, this soon became a recovery operation, which remains ongoing.
Identification hearings began on Wednesday evening, where Max Furse-Kee was formally identified on what would have been his 16th birthday.
Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, was formally identified on Thursday, followed by Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50, and Sharon Maccanico, 15, on Friday.
Susan Doreen Knowles, 71, was formally identified earlier today.
These hearings have had the sole focus of establishing the identities of the victims. They are not inquests, and do not establish a cause of death, nor make recommendations.
This evening, in the Tauranga District Court, Detective Sergeant Brent Griffiths presented evidence to Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton regarding the recovery of Wheeler’s remains.
He detailed the forensic analysis, which had included DNA testing as the primary form of identification, and fingerprint analysis as a secondary form of identification.
Chief Coroner Judge Tutton said she was satisfied the evidence was sufficient and reliable to establish the identity of Wheeler’s remains.
“Jackie has been described as the backbone and matriarch of her family,” said Chief Coroner Judge Tutton.
“Their tragedy is unimaginable.”
As it was the final in-court identification hearing, the chief coroner expressed her appreciation for all those who had been involved in reuniting victims with their families.
She said the roles were too varied and too many to mention all by name, but in addition to emergency services staff, there were those who had stood on a cordon, operated diggers, as well as caterers and cleaners.
She said those involved in the recovery had displayed “courage and determination”.
She concluded by offering her condolences to Wheeler’s family.
Hannah Bartlett is a Tauranga-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She previously covered court and local government for the Nelson Mail, and before that was a radio reporter at Newstalk ZB.
