Three of the four victims of the beach crash at Muriwai yesterday were understood to be employees of an international academy in Auckland. The fourth was a friend of theirs.
Requests for comment from the international academy haven't been answered.
Police have asked witnesses of the fatal crash at Muriwai beach to come forward.
Four men were travelling along the beach in a Mitsubishi Pajero when it rolled, just before 5pm. All four occupants were thrown from the car.
Read more:
• Muriwai tragedy: Four dead in 4WD crash
This morning, police said they were still working to identify the victims and locate and advise their next of kin.
However, police have confirmed two of the four men were aged 31. The other two men were aged 26 and 27. Police said they expected to release the men's names later today or tomorrow morning.
The vehicle was towed from the water by a tractor last night and taken to a secure facility and officers from the Waitemata Police Serious Crash Unit would spend today examining the vehicle.
At this stage it is not known who was driving the vehicle when it crashed, police said.
Police said they had spoken to a small number of witnesses but would like to hear from anyone else who saw the brown and silver-coloured four wheel drive on the beach yesterday afternoon.
Road Policing Manager for the Waitemata Police, Inspector Trevor Beggs, said based on witness information police believed the car was travelling at speed along the water's edge.
"It's either struck an object or has hit sand. The vehicle has then flipped and rolled several times."
He said all four occupants were thrown from the vehicle.
"At this stage we have been able to determine that seatbelts were fitted to the car.
"The fact that the occupants have all been ejected from the vehicle would suggest that they may not have been wearing seatbelts, but this will be confirmed once the car has been examined."
Mr Beggs said last night's response was a challenging and upsetting situation for everyone involved.
He thanked everyone who assisted at the scene. "We are working with local Iwi to co-ordinate a site blessing and this should take place in the next few days.
"Above anything else, our thoughts today are with the families of these young men. They have just been given news that will no doubt impact many lives forever," he said.
"No one who sets out with their friends on a Sunday afternoon expects that it will end in such a tragic loss of life."
As the year draws to a close, Waikato Herald is taking stock of 2024.