5 dead, 8 missing in New Zealand's White Island volcano eruption
Auckland/IBNS: At least five people were confirmed dead and eight remained missing in the eruption of White Island volcano in Bay of Plenty in New Zealand on Monday afternoon, with the disaster striking when many tourists were on the island, police said.
According to New Zealand Herald, at least eight were missing and around 31 people were admitted to hospital. New Zealand Police have confirmed five deaths.
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The newspaper reported that there were about 47 people on the island when the disaster struck. At least 38 of them were from the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas, it said.
The volcano erupted at about 2:11 p.m. local time, throwing up a plume of ash into the air.
New Zealand Police ruling out possibility of finding any more survivor there in a statement said: “Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation...working urgently to confirm the exact number of those who have died...”
"This is so hard to believe. Our whole tour group were literally standing at the edge of the main crater not 30 minutes before. My thoughts with the families of those currently unaccounted for, the people recovering now, and especially the rescue workers…" tweeted Michael Schade who was present there and clicked several photographs and shot videos used in this report.
This is so hard to believe. Our whole tour group were literally standing at the edge of the main crater not 30 minutes before. My thoughts with the families of those currently unaccounted for, the people recovering now, and especially the rescue workers… pic.twitter.com/mn704hobRk
— Michael Schade (@sch) December 9, 2019
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern mourning the deaths said it was an "unfathomable grief" of those who had lost loved ones while further rescue efforts were now "very sadly a recovery operation".
(Images were clicked by Michael Schade and he tweeted that reporters can use them with attribution)
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