Tauranga's Mayor says they're hopeful recovery work can resume today,  after Thursday's slip at Mount Maunganui.

Six people remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.

Recovery work was paused yesterday after a crack was found on the maunga, making the site unsafe.

Tauranga City Council has ordered an independent review into the slip - and what happened leading up to it.

Mahe Drysdale says specialist equipment was flown in from Wellington last night - to help with recovery operations. 

He says geotechnical engineers are up Mount Maunganui at the moment - to ensure it's safe for work to continue today. 

LISTEN ABOVE