The video does not show the bodies of the deceased or the crashed aircraft.
Fire and Emergency told the Herald the recording of the incident was “regrettable”.
“This was not an official video nor was it released through official Fire and Emergency New Zealand channels,” a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said, adding it was not standard practice to film operations.
“We believe the video was taken by some of our people during an operation. This was an error of judgment considering the sensitivity of the situation and they have taken it down from their personal Facebook page at our request.”
The video remained available on other Facebook pages. The Herald has chosen not to show it.
FlyInn, a Wānaka-based company offering self-fly holidays, has confirmed one of its aircraft was involved in the crash.
Stuff reported the victims were understood to be a Kiwi pilot and a foreign national.
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart we wish to advise one of our aircraft was involved in an accident in an area of New Zealand’s South Island,” FlyInn wrote on its website.
“Our thoughts are first and foremost with those directly affected, their families, and loved ones.”
The company said it was focused on “supporting the police and rescue services in this ongoing operation”.
The four-seat aircraft, registered ZK-BFQ, left Nelson Airport about 9.10am on Tuesday. Police were told just before noon the plane was overdue, prompting a search co-ordinated by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith told NZME there was sadness in the region after the loss of two lives.
“Nelson is a small community and any tragedy of this sort does have reverberations right through the family and friends of the deceased, albeit at this stage we do not know whether the victims are in fact from Nelson or from further afield.”