Police have still not revealed how many people were in the car when it crashed into Lake Rotomā, or made any official statement about their condition.
The car has been winched to the surface of the lake, after being submerged in water for almost 24 hours.
A Sunlive photographer at the scene this morning said he had seen two bodies recovered, and a hearse waiting nearby.
He said the car appeared to be a station wagon.
The car crashed off State Highway 30 into Lake Rotomā - 38km east of Rotorua - at 12.30pm yesterday.
Emergency services unsuccessfully tried to lift it from the water, before it was recovered with the help of the police dive team.
The lake has a maximum depth of 73m at the southern end, where the highway skirts it.
It is reported to be the cleanest of Rotorua's lakes, with items visible underwater to a depth of 11m.
