A second person has died at the New Year's Eve Rhythm and Vines festival in Gisborne.
The person is believed to be audio engineer David Peterson from Wavefront Audio, who was working at the music festival.
A police spokesperson confirmed they had attended a report of a sudden death at Rhythm and Vines on December 31 at about 2am.
"At this stage it is believed to have been a medical event," they said.
"There are no suspicious circumstances and the death has been referred to the Coroner."
The sad news comes after a body was found in a search for 19-year-old Fletcher Wong, who was reported missing from the music festival on Tuesday.
Wong was last seen leaving the admissions area of the event grounds at Waiohika Estate at around 2am, before police confirmed his body was recovered on Thursday in the Ormond area of Gisborne.
A spokesperson for the festival told Stuff they understood drugs weren't involved in either death.
Wavefront Audio's Milo Kerrigan posted to Facebook on Friday saying his colleague and best mate Peterson had died from suspected heart failure.
"Dave had injured his arm two days before, requiring a few stitches, and was on light duties as the system tech for the three stages we look after at R&V - typically, being the hard ass roadie that he was, he was back after a couple of hours patched up and soldiering on," said Kerrigan.
"Often on a gig like this one, once things were running to his liking, he would grab a few Zs in the front seat of the van. A couple of us knew he was there (the van was outside the production office) and he was in his usual relaxed snoring position.
"Unfortunately when one of the crew went to rouse him, he was unresponsive. We got him out and Bex started CPR - medics were there very quickly and took over. I knew when I held his cold hand that he had gone."
Kerrigan said he was thankful Peterson was doing what he loved and was surrounded by his best mates and crew on the night he died.
He said Peterson had worked at most Rhythm and Vines festivals and the crew had continued to work on New Year's Eve, despite it being "one of the hardest days ever".
"Dave was a hard man with a soft centre, a perfectionist and a solid friend," said Kerrigan.
"He taught me the power of the grumpy face! He will be severely missed by me and many others."
