Search continues for young victims of 4WD plunge

Commercial divers are to resume their efforts today to recover the bodies of two young children who drowned when their family four-wheel-drive plunged nearly 50m into Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown.

Thomas John Poplawski, 7, and his younger sister Georgia Rose, 5, were in a 4WD being driven by their mother Sonia when it careered off a gravel road and into Lake Wakatipu about 9pm on Friday.

Mrs Poplawski and a daughter, 9, escaped, but despite rescue efforts from commercial divers on Friday night, the two younger children were not recovered.

The accident happened just 20m or so short of the family's driveway at Greenstone Station, a high country farm about 40km south of Glenorchy.

Family friend and spokesman Richard Kennett said yesterday that the accident was a family and community tragedy.

Supporters from the township had rushed to the scene by boat, car and helicopter on Friday night, some to assist emergency services, others just to offer food and comfort.

Yesterday, the car remained 47m below water in half a metre of silt on the lake bed.

Teams of navy and police divers arrived in Queenstown last night and will attempt to retrieve the car today.

Mr Kennett said the family was being supported by extended family and friends, all of whom were "hurting" yesterday.

"They were a couple of young children that had a full life to expect and were a joy and a pleasure to their parents, who are missing them terribly," he said.

"At this stage their strong desire is to have their children with them."

Senior Sergeant John Fookes of Queenstown said it remained a mystery why the car had left the straight patch of road. Alcohol was not a factor and serious crash unit investigators were at the scene yesterday trying to find out what had happened.

The car had come to rest about 30m under the lake surface but after attempts to pull it out, had slipped to about 47m.

It was now too deep for commercial divers and police had sought assistance from a team of specialist navy divers.

"The depth complicates things considerably," Mr Fookes said.

He said Mrs Poplawski and her daughter had not yet been interviewed.

"She was quite shocked so we are giving her time to come to grips - as much as one can - before we talk to her."

Mrs Poplawski and her husband Stefan, a helicopter pilot, are originally from Dunedin and had returned to Greenstone Station earlier this year after some time away.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY