A volcanic island in New Zealand yesterday erupted in a tower of ash and steam while dozens of tourists were exploring the moon-like surface, killing five people and leaving many more missing.
Police said the site was still too dangerous hours later for rescuers to search for the missing.
New Zealand Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said the number of missing was in the double digits, but he could not confirm an exact number.
Photo: EPA-EFE
He said there were fewer than 50 people on the island when it erupted and 23 had been taken off, including the five dead.
Tims said experts had told them the island remained unstable, but search-and-rescue teams wanted to get back as quickly as they could.
He said there had been no contact with any of those who were missing.
Photo: EPA-EFE
New Zealanders and overseas tourists were among those who were dead, missing or injured, he said, adding that most of the 18 who survived were injured and some had severe burns.
Some of those involved were tourists from the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Ovation of the Seas.
“A number of our guests were touring the island today,” the company said. “We will offer all possible assistance to our guests and local authorities. Please keep all those affected in your prayers.”
The cruise ship, which had left from Sydney last week, was scheduled to sail to the capital, Wellington, last night, but the company said it would instead remain in Tauranga Port overnight until it learned more on the situation.
“My god,” wrote Michael Schade on Twitter as he posted video of the eruption. “My family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable.”
His video showed a wall of ash and steam around the island and a helicopter badly damaged and covered in ash.
He said one woman was badly injured, but seemed “strong” by the end.
White Island sits about 50km off the North Island. Already people are questioning why tourists were still able to visit the island after scientists recently noted an uptick in volcanic activity.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern traveled to the region late yesterday.
She said the incident was “very significant.”
“All our thoughts are with those affected,” she said.
Brad Scott, a volcanologist with research group GNS Science, said the eruption sent a plume of steam and ash about 3,660m into the air and that it had affected the whole of the White Island crater floor.
The GeoNet agency, which monitors volcanoes and earthquakes in New Zealand, on Nov. 18 raised the alert level on White Island from one to two, noting an increase in the amount of sulfur dioxide gas, which originates from magma deep in the volcano.
It also said at the time that over the previous weeks, the volcanic tremor had increased from weak to moderate strength.
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