The wreckage of a helicopter missing for almost nine years in Fiordland is now with the Civil Aviation Authority.
The remains of the pilot Campbell Montgomerie, 27, and his passenger, Hannah Timings, 28, an English backpacker have been taken to Invercargill for formal identification.
They disappeared on a sightseeing flight from Queenstown in January 2004.
The Hughes 500 helicopter was sighted at the head of the Humboldt Creek on Wednesday by people on a helicopter on a sightseeing flight.
Police said the coroner will now look into how the pair died. The Civil Aviation Authority will also conduct an investigation.
Mr Montgomerie's parents flew to Te Anau on Thursday and have requested privacy. They hope to take their son's body home to Auckland in the next few days.
