Two young boys have died after an all-terrain vehicle they were on rolled into a deep swimming hole in New Zealand.

The cousins — six-year-old Perth boy Sonny, and four-year-old Auckland boy Eddie — were on holiday at a Fern Flat Rd address Peria, on the nation’s northern tip, when the tragic incident occurred on Friday about 5.15pm.

The quad bike crashed into a boulder, sending the vehicle into an 11m deep watering hole, a family member wrote on social media the following day.

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“No safety barriers were in place,” she said.

Their bodies were recovered from the Waikainga Stream on Saturday, according to NZ Police.

There were six people on the quad bike when it crashed, but only four people were able to make it out of the water, NZ Police said.

The driver and three others were hospitalised with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

Emergency services, which included a helicopter, were thanked along with a specialist dive team which the family said, “managed to bring our boys back to the Whenua (land) under such extreme circumstances and conditions.”

Restricted access was placed on the Waikainga Stream from Shepherds Rd to the Peria Saleyards Bridge, NZ Police said.

“Police extend condolences to the whanau (family) of the deceased.”

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

The boys have been remembered as “two little bright sparks” by the family member on social media.

“Sonny, our little sunshine, our bug-man, our fruit-bat, our sunny-bunny, our cheeky monkey. Our hearts are forever broken for you and are unmendable,” she said.

“Fly free with the grasshoppers and butterflies, our little mate. We’ll always love you forever, even if you can’t see us and even on our darkest of days, the thought of you will be a ray of Sonshine! We will love you forever and ever and always.

“Eddie was our gorgeous little boy who was so cheeky and cheerful, full of adventure, and so full of light he would brighten every room he walked into. Words cannot paint a picture of how wonderful and special our wee boy was.”