Police have now released the name of the person who died following a workplace incident at Kaingaroa Forest last Wednesday.
Police say, he was 58-year-old Craig Dawson Griffiths from Ōpōtiki.
Emergency services had been called to the address off Tom Rodgers Road at around 12pm on Wednesday.
Police said a digger had become submerged, and after a search was conducted, the driver was found deceased.
"The matter has been referred to WorkSafe," a Police spokesperson says.
Public Interest Journalism funded through New Zealand On Air.