File image. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton
A digger driver has died after his machine became submerged at Rotorua's Kaingaroa Forest.
Forestry company Timberlands says the incident took place at its processing plant just after 11am.
Emergency services were called to the address around midday.
Specialists including the Serious Crash Unit, police and the National Dive Squad were called in and the driver was found dead.
WorkSafe has been advised.
In a statement, Timberlands said the man who died was a third-party contractor working on site.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. I have been to the site and spoken to many of the people on site," Timberlands chief executive Ryan Cavanagh said.
"At this stage, what we know is a contractor was operating a long-reach excavator to clear a drain and the excavator became submerged. Attempts to rescue the operator were unsuccessful."
All site operations stopped immediately and relevant authorities were called, he said.
"We understand the family of the deceased has been informed, and our priority will be on supporting them and on cooperating fully with accident investigators to understand how this tragedy occurred.
"The health and safety of employees and contractors on all our sites has always been our highest priority, and we are devastated by this event."