NEW ZEALAND (From news reports) -- The wreckage of a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two forestry workers in Northland will remain in place Monday night.

Investigations were ongoing into what caused the crash that killed both occupants of the helicopter.

They were flying over forest land for timber harvesting company Rayonier.

Rayonier's managing director Paul Nicholls said the two were contract workers.

They were doing surveying and possibly aerial spraying over Glenbervie Forest near Hikurangi, Nicholls said.

The wreckage of their chopper, a Robinson R44, was found about 2pm.

Police said the bodies of two people were located at the scene.

On Monday night police said they were still trying to get in contact with their next of kin and were expecting post mortems to be carried out on Tuesday.

The Civil Aviation Authority were leading inquiries into what caused the crash.

Emergency services rushed to the forest after an emergency beacon was activated just after 1pm. It was activated off Lookout Rd, in a heavily forested area about 20km northeast of Whangarei.