Crash site near where low-flying aircraft reported

The Waikato site of the helicopter crash which killed Michael Erceg and Guus Klatte is in the same area where a low-flying aircraft was reported the day they went missing, police said today.

The bodies of Mr Erceg, a multimillionaire liquor baron who piloted the helicopter, and his passenger Dutch beer company executive Mr Klatte, were found south of Raglan about 6.30pm yesterday.

The pair were found by a Lion Foundation rescue helicopter team using a forward looking infra red camera.

Waikato Police spokeswoman Kris McGehan said the crash wreckage was on farmland in very dense bush.

"The crash site near the base of Mt Karioi, was close to where a woman had reported hearing a low-flying aircraft in the area on the day of the crash," Ms McGehan said.

She said the search and rescue team had gone into the bush today to recover the bodies.

"The bodies will be recovered, brought back to Hamilton, and the crash has now been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority."

Mr Erceg, one of New Zealand's richest men, and Mr Klatte were heading for Queenstown with planned refuelling stops at Wanganui and Rangiora, when they went missing on November 4.

The helicopter, which had been heading from Auckland to Queenstown, went missing on November 4. The official search was suspended more than a week ago but Mr Erceg's family had continued the search in the meantime.

Mr Erceg's brother Ivan told NZPA the family would make a statement later this afternoon.

Ivan Erceg's brother believed he heard his brother's voice on a radio transmitter as they flew over Mt Pirongia on Friday.

However, reports today said rescuers believed the pair were killed on impact.

The Civil Aviation Authority today began an investigation into the crash.

- NZPA