We are closing our live coverage of this live blog for now. You can see a full report on all the day’s news of the rescue mission to White Island to bring back the remaining victims here.
Afternoon news conference summary
In an emotional press conference, Jacinda Ardern, extended her sympathies to the families of victims of the White Island tragedy. Here’s a summary of what was said by her, the Colonel Rian McKinstry of the NZ defence force, and the New Zealand commissioner of police, Mike Bush.
- An eight-member team worked to recover the remaining bodies on White Island today.
- They recovered six bodies, but two remain unaccounted for.
- Divers have been working today to try to locate at least one body in the water.
- The recovery teams on the island worked in pairs using specialised clothes that sealed off cuffs at the wrists and ankles.
- Each member also used breathing apparatus.
- Bodies were recovered to a central point on the island, from where they were flown by helicopter to HMNZ Wellington.
- The bodies will be brought to shore some time this evening.
- Ardern said New Zealand felt an “enormous duty of care” to make sure the bodies were recovered.
- All but one of the Australian victims has been medevaced to Australia.
- Ardern did not confirm the names or nationalities of those recovered from the island.
Updated
The news conference is wrapping up now. In a minute I’ll bring you a summary of the main points.
Ardern also says there has been support to bring family members into New Zealand and that the cruise ship has been integral in that process.
I think if you’d ask anyone here, everyone wants familiesto be reunited with their loved one as quickly as possible, but the coroner ultimately needs to be the one that has to be satisfied that that process is undertaken properly. We want to make sure that loved ones are reunited with their loved one and that needs to be done under the care of the coroner.
Police liaison officers have been provided to the families of victims of the tragedy, Ardern says. Social workers are also working in hospitals to assist those who have been caught up in this disaster.
She’s also answering about adventure tourism in New Zealand.
Again some years ago an incident triggered some work already to be done on the regulatory framework for adventure tourism. At the moment I do think we need to look at the situation we have in front of us, which is what happened on White Island and make sure we answer those questions, and so again as I say they will be answered but we also need to just give a bit of space to those families, too.
Updated
The next question is about accountability for tours that went onto the island. Jacinda Ardern answers:
This is a volcano that has been visited for the better part of 30 years. However, we also hear, and absolutely agree, that there are questions that are being asked that must be answered and they will be.As has already been said this week, WorkSafe is the agency in New Zealand that will hold responsibility for that and as you’d expect we have significant loss of life, a coronial inquest as well and those are the processes that will allow us the space to answer those questions.
Updated
New Zealand’s police commissioner Mike Bush is giving an update on the diving operation that has been taking place to try to recover the remaining bodies.
The New Zealand police dive team supported by the Defence Force personnel deployed today, they haven’t found anybody as yet. And they are working together to plan for tomorrow. They will redeploy and it will be the New Zealand police dive team and some of the navy dive team as well so.
Bush says there’s still some daylight left so won’t rule out the dive team going back in the water today.
Ardern is asked if she will stop tours to White Island. She says that is not a conversation for now and she is focussing on helping the victims.
We’ve only just brought those loved ones back to NewZealand, and everyone’s focus here, and I sense that particularly from the community of Whakatane, is looking after them as we go through these next few days and obviously there’s also been what I can only describe as almost a covenant over the land for now because of what has happened there by local iwi.
Ardern is being asked about the work being done to care for the. victims.
Obviously at the moment our focus has been making sure that they receive the very best, immediate care that they need in the aftermath of this tragedy. I have visited some of our health services. We have extraordinary health professionals in New Zealand but at the same time a desire to make sure that loved ones are able to be close with their loved ones who may have been injured.
She says all but one of the Australians who were injured have been medevaced back to Australia.
Ardern says there was a huge amount of courage required for those involved in the rescue to do what they did today.
Updated
Ardern says how important it has been to bring the victims off the island for the families. She is paying tribute to those involved in the operation today.
Many families presented to me on how important and special that was to them so I acknowledge them. We know that reunification won’t ease that sense of loss or grief because I don’t think anything can. But we felt an enormous duty of care as NewZealanders to make sure that we brought their family members back.
Updated
Now we are hearing from Jacinda Ardern, who is expressing sympathy for the families of the victims.
I want to start by acknowledging the families who have experienced such grief and such loss since the extraordinary tragedy on Monday and that today is all about reuniting them with their loved ones.
Updated
A press conference is just beginning in New Zealand, at which we expect Jacinda Ardern to speak shortly.
We are hearing now from the Defence Forces who are describing this morning’s mission. The photos that appeared earlier on this live blog was taken from a helicopter.
The vessel off the island was providing communications support. In yellow on the top right of the photo you can see the rescuers.
He also holds up pictures of the two men climbing on the island.
What that is an imagery of is two of our six personnel that landed on the island. They operated in three 2-person teams, and what that image shows is them moving onto the island. What it doesn’t show is several things they might explain to you. Is the heat stress that those individuals are under even at8:00am in the morning. They are effectively wearing their military undergarments. On top of that they were wearing a no-mix light material that has seal around it and sealed cuffs and sealed at the ankles. Then on top of that item of clothing they are wearing what you could akin to alight rain coat-type material that is providing their outer layer of protection. They are easily ripped, easily damaged, hence why they have an inside layer as well. They are operating with a rebreathing apparatus and the oxygen is and -- and the air inside that apparatus begins to heat up as they continue to breathe those breath cycles.
The commander New Zealand’s joint defence forces, Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour, has been talking about the rescue operation this morning.
“We acknowledge the leadership of the New Zealand Police and other agencies involved in the recovery operations to date as well as the heroic efforts of medical staff across New Zealand treating survivors.
We cannot downplay the risk involved in this operation and I acknowledge the efforts of all those who placed themselves potentially in danger to achieve a result for the families and community.
Our personnel feel a keen sense of duty and join to serve New Zealand. It is this sense of duty that sees them willing to undertake operations like this, understanding the risks involved.’’
The recovery team included six NZDF Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists and a ground commander, as well as medical staff who were on small boats nearby.
The ground team worked in pairs to move the bodies to a central location, where a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter transported them to HMNZS Wellington, which was waiting just off the island.
Gilmour said the team that prepared the recovery plan included:
- imagery analysis specialists
- air surveillance including from helicopters and drones
- army explosive ordnance disposal experts with hazardous material equipment and training
- Mortuary affairs and disaster victim identification teams
Just recapping on the rescue efforts this morning to bring the remaining bodies from White Island – New Zealand’s police commissioner, Mike Bush, has confirmed that six bodies were recovered:
Unfortunately the recovery option is not over as two people remain unaccounted for. We know at least one body is in the water and divers on the Police launch Deodar are currently attempting to recover this body.
We are making every effort to locate and recover the two remaining deceased.
New Zealand Defence Force releases images of mission to recover bodies
The NZ defence force have released images of those who took part in the mission to recover the remaining bodies from White Island this morning.
We are expecting the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to hold a news conference in the next few minutes and will bring you that as soon as it begins.
Updated
Radio New Zealand has tweeted some moving video of members of the Whakatāne community welcoming back the families of the victims who died on White Island.
Earlier this morning, a boat carrying the families of those missing on Whakaari was welcomed back to the mainland.
— RNZ (@radionz) December 12, 2019
Members of the Whakatāne community and kuia welcomed the boat carrying the whanau. pic.twitter.com/T7jwCxwH6A
New Zealand’s defence forces have released some pictures of the efforts to recover the bodies from White Island today.
Images of our personnel and @NZPolice involved in the recovery operation today at Whakaari / #WhiteIsland. pic.twitter.com/WzYOhWk4to
— NZ Defence Force (@NZDefenceForce) December 13, 2019
There were emotional scenes in Whakatane today as the mission to recover the bodies was carried out. Locals as well as families of the deceased gathered, sang and supported each other as the victims of the disaster were brought off the island. Only two of the 47 people who were on White Island at the time of the eruption are yet to be recovered.
GeoNet latest bulletin on White Island was issued at 10.30am New Zealand time. It said GNS vulcanologists estimated there was a 50-60% likelihood of an eruption occurring that could impact outside of the marked vent area on the image below within the next 24 hours.
Hello - this is Alison Rourke taking over this live coverage of the New Zealand volcano rescue from my colleague, Kate Lyons.
We know that six bodies were recovered from White Island this morning. Two further bodies were unable to be recovered. One is in waters off the island and dive teams have been working to recover it. It’s not clear where the other body is. We will bring you updates as soon as they are available.
For the victims who have been hospitalised with burns, the recovery is going to be long and complex. A number of patients have been flown to Australia for treatment. The director of Concord hospital in Sydney’s unit, Dr Peter Haersch, has said five the patients there have burns from 7-65% of their bodies.
“The patients under our care have been exposed to a fast-moving cloud of very hot volcanic gas and volcanic matter such as pumice and ash,” Haertsch told Stuff NZ.
“As a result, they have suffered severe contact skin burns with severe injuries due to inhalation of gas and ash, and we are looking at extensive and intensive care for these patients, some of whom are still in a life-threatening condition.”
Victims are also being treated in Royal North Shore hospital in Sydney and the Alfred hospital in Victoria. In New Zealand, 17 victims remain in four hospitals. Many are in a critical condition.
Updated
Summary
- Rescuers have recovered six bodies from White Island in a dangerous rescue mission this morning.
- There are still two bodies that have not been recovered by rescuers. Police commissioner Mike Bush said that while he could not guarantee that the bodies would be recovered, the search operation would continue: “We will continue to search for these two people.”
- Police said they were confident one of the two remaining bodies was in the water. Rescuers attempted to recover it today, but were unsuccessful due to weather conditions.
- A dive team is currently at work in the waters around White Island trying to recover the body in the water.
- Officials are uncertain of where the second body is located, saying it could be in the water or on the island in a location the rescuers were unable to locate. An aerial mission will set off this afternoon in order to try and spot the body.
- Police commissioner Mike Bush said that he was aware of commentary that the six recovered bodies belonged to the Australian tourists and the two missing bodies were those of the tour guides, but said it was too early to confirm this and there was an official identification process that would be observed.
Rescuers attempted to recover body in water, but could not due to weather
There was an attempt to recover the body in the water but it was unsuccessful due to weather conditions, said police commissioner Mike Bush.
The body is not far from the shore.
Colonel Mckinstry says “the conditions were challenging from the point of departure this morning.”
The defence force got advice from GNS Science in the morning that there was a 6% chance in any three hour period that the volcano would erupt.
Rescuers wore suits that looked like hazmat suits with breathing apparatus and hoods, Mckinstry says.
“The team ventured into the centre of the island to retrieve bodies. Testing gas levels on island throughout mission,” he says.
Mike Bush says he is aware of the commentary that the six bodies that have been brought back to the mainland are the Australian tourists, and the two bodies still missing are the tour guides.
He says he cannot confirm that information at this stage and that there is an official process for identifying the bodies.
“ [I] can’t say which Whanau [family] belong to the two missing people” Mike Bush. “It’s too early to say.”
Colonel Ryan Mckinstry says the New Zealand defence force “are united in our grief”.
“We cannot downplay the risk involved in this operation and I want to acknowledge the efforts for everyone who have placed themselves in dangerous situations today,” he said.
“The conditions on the island were difficult.”
Mckinstry said that explosives personnel as well as disaster identification experts.
Bush has been asked what he believes has happened to the two bodies they have not been able to recover.
He says: “We do believe at least one of them is in the water.”
But for the other one, there are two options: “One is still on the island and we still haven’t located them, or they too are in the water.”
“Dive team are currently deployed searching around the island for one or two bodies,” says Bush.
Updated
Police commissioner says they will keep searching for two remaining bodies
Police commissioner Mike Bush is in Whakatane and is addressing the press now.
Bush said this entire event has been “traumatic and harrowing” for the community and those who lost loved ones on the island.
He says the mission successfully retrieved six bodies from White Island in a mission that “went to plan”, but the operation “is not over yet”.
He said that the environment of the search site was extremely risky and that emergency response staff “showed absolute courage in order to ensure that those six people were returned to their loved ones.”
“Unfortunately there remains two more people we need to find so we can return them, so this operation will continue,” he said.
Bush confirmed that this afternoon rescuers would return for an aerial search to see if they could locate the bodies. A dive team would also be deployed to dive off the wharf of White Island.
“We will continue to search for these two people.”
Updated
A press conference with police commissioner Mike Bush is about to begin in Whakatane, our reporter Eleanor Ainge Roy is at the press conference and we’ll have updates from that press conference about the recovery mission as they come through.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave an interview with NewstalkZB this morning about the recovery operation and the difficulty of the situation for the families of the victims
“I think all of us have an enormous amount of empathy and can’t imagine what it would feel like, to be in this set of circumstances, particularly while we wait for the recovery, it’s incredibly hard for these families.
Ardern said she understands why the families are so anxious for the bodies of their families to be returned and that if she were in the same situation she would want the same thing.
Ardern said police had “done everything they could” and had undertaken a full assessment of the situation, saying “there was a period where the tremors on the island were the most significant that the scientists had seen since the eruptions in 2016 and that has really hampered efforts to get back.”
Recovery team safe and six bodies will be returned to mainland, say police
We have a new update from the police, here it is in full:
The six bodies recovered from Whakaari/White Island will shortly be returned to the mainland before being transferred to Auckland.
The recovery team are safe and well on board HMNZS Wellington.
I would like to acknowledge the recovery team for their efforts and the bravery they have shown today.
I would also like to acknowledge all the agencies involved in the recovery operation and Police and New Zealand Defence Force staff for their dedication and commitment to our response over the last five days.
To the families and the Whakatane community I understand this has been a tragic and harrowing time and our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush will address media shortly with an update on the recovery operation.
Details for the stand-up will be provided soon.
Updated
According to the ministry of health 17 survivors of the White Island eruption remain in hospital, with 13 of them in a critical condition.
Earlier today prime minister Jacinda Ardern visited burns wards that had been working “around the clock” to show her support for their efforts dealing with a health emergency that has been described by doctors as “unprecedented”.
Mission 'largely successful'
Deputy police commissioner Wally Haumaha has given a brief media stand-up and confirmed police have told the families their morning mission has been largely successful.
Haumaha said police will return to the island for the other two bodies, but could not give a timeframe for when this would happen, only assuring families it “definitely would” after further planning.
The bodies of the six recovered people were now being flown to Auckland and many families were also making their way to New Zealand’s largest city to be with their loved ones.
Everywhere you go in Whakatane - the wharf, cafe’s, restaurants - the word Whakaari is on everyone’s lips.
As the bodies are slowly and carefully airlifted off the island, debate is raging in the small seaside town about the future of the Island.
Many, especially local Maori, who view Whakaari as an ancestor, believe “she” should be left alone.
But others - including local tour operators and mayor Judy Turner - want tours to resume as soon as it’s safe.
But given the surprise factor of Monday’s fatal eruption, it is unclear if Whakaari will ever be viewed as “safe” again.
Joshua Kauta, 70, a Ngati Awa local, has told The Guardian he is “extremely relieved” to hear most of the bodies are on their way home.
“None of this should have happened and it scares me to think of the risks those guys have had to take - anything could happen, she’s unpredictable. She shouldn’t be taken for granted anymore.”
Six bodies successfully recovered
NZ police has confirmed that six bodies have been successfully recovered from Whakaari / White Island and are now on board HMNZS Wellington.
Earlier, the National Emergency Management Agency had said it was thought there were eight bodies on the island.
Updated
Here’s some more from Jacinda Ardern’s interview with ABC Radio National, when the NZ Prime Minister clarified questions about the investigations into the event.
Both the coroner and the country’s workplace health and safety regulator, WorkSafe New Zealand, were investigating the circumstances around the eruption, she said, but these were what would be expected with any major incident.
“I’m passing no judgement,” she said. “I need that job to be done properly and [families and the community] deserve to have their questions answered.”
One body successfully recovered
Deputy NZ Police Commissioner John Tims has confirmed that one body has been successfully recovered from the island and is now on board HMNZS Wellington.
“The operation to recover the remaining bodies continues.”
Updated
Police say six bodies have been prepared for airlift
NZ Police deputy commissioner John Tims says six bodies have been prepared for airlifting off Whakaari / White Island and the process to transport them to HMNZS Wellington by helicopter has begun.
Tims said: “The operation to recover the bodies from Whakaari / White Island is progressing and the team is well advanced with the recovery of the bodies.
“We expect the recovery operation to continue for another couple of hours. Conditions on the island remain favourable.”
Updated
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been speaking to ABC Radio National in Australia, providing an update on the recovery mission on the island.
“We are in the middle of the operation and have had defence force personnel [on the island] since 7.20am [NZ time]. The role is to get those who have perished on the island and have them returned.... we just want to bring everyone home.”
There was enough equipment on the island for the “smallish team” to be there for several hours, but there was also a need to be as fast as possible in the recovery.
“My hope is that it won’t be too much longer. The desire is to do the job properly.. we are dealing with people’s loved ones.”
Ardern had visited hospitals where survivors had been taken, but this, she said, was primarily to check on medical personnel.
She said that five Australian victims had been repatriated, which was allowing family members to be closer together.
Two more survivors of the White Island tragedy have been flown to NSW for treatment.
The ABC reports that a Careflight crew brought the pair to Concord Hospital in Sydney last night. Two more are expected to arrive in the next 24 hours.
Updated
Deputy Commissioner John Tims, National Operations Commander, has just released a bit more information on the recovery mission:
The operation to recover the bodies from Whakaari / White Island is progressing and the team is well advanced with the recovery of the bodies.
We expect the recovery operation to continue for another couple of hours.
Conditions on the island remain favourable.
Updated
There have been some very moving pictures coming in from Whakatane where a blessing with families was held out at sea this morning.
Updated
It is worth repeating the risk involved in this operation. While the recovery team is on the island the activity of the volcano is being measured.
Vulcanologists are monitoring White Island in real time, in case the mission needs to be aborted. Activity has eased since Monday's deadly eruption, but it remains above normal.https://t.co/hN6qoQDQ6E https://t.co/BqGeaonZTx
— Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) December 12, 2019
Another update from police deputy commissioner Mike Clement, who says the recovery operation is going to plan
The recovery team is in the area where we believe the majority of the bodies are.
The operation is taking more time than expected, this is due to the protective equipment the recovery team is wearing which can be restrictive and heavy but is necessary
Conditions for the operation are good in regard to the weather, sea state and the environment on the island.
Updated
Summary
I’m handing over to colleagues now. Here’s where the recovery operation stands at the moment:
- The eight-member NZ Defence Force team is on White Island and is currently working to recover the bodies of eight of those killed in Monday’s eruption
- The operation is expected to last most of the morning
- Family members travelled by boat to perform a blessing at sea in the Bay of Plenty
- Local people have also gathered at the waterfront in Whakatāne to pray, sing and honour the dead
The National Emergency Management Agency has released an all-of-Government update about the #Whakaari #WhiteIsland response on our website: https://t.co/rOdWlmIyb1
— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) December 12, 2019
All response agencies are absolutely committed to the recovery and return of the bodies still on the island.
Police are leading recovery operations of the bodies from Whakaari/White Island today 13 December.
This morning a blessing was held at sea with representatives of the families of the victims of the Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption.
The recovery team undertaking the operation to remove bodies on Whakaari/White Island have landed on the island.
This is the latest update from New Zealand police deputy commissioner Mike Clement, who says the recovery operation is expected to take most of the morning.
We have operators on the island. As I said last night, there are many things that could go wrong with the plan given we don’t control all of the circumstances, but for the time being, things are playing out as we’d hoped … For the next few hours, [the operators] will be carrying out the task of recovering the bodies.
Clement said that conditions on the island meant that the recovery team was having to move slowly.
The wind direction’s not perfect … [but] the volcano is behaving, the sea has stayed manageable and so all of those things are in our favour at the moment.
Clement said that while he had not been on the boat with the families, he understood it had been a “deeply emotional experience” for both relatives and the police officers present.
Updated
The eight-person recovery team is now on the island.
“The recovery team undertaking the operation to remove bodies on Whakaari/White Island have landed on the island,” said deputy police commissioner John Tims.
From Eleanor on the dock:
The families are now stepping off the White Island Tours vessel PeeJay and are being welcomed back to land by local Māori, who have brought flowers and balloons to comfort the families who have been up and at sea since 4.30am. People are embracing and crying in group hugs.
As well as the families, tribal elders from Ngati Awa are also disembarking from the boat, as are some of New Zealand’s most senior police officers.
Updated
Latest from Eleanor, who’s down at the Whakatāne wharf:
A significant police presence has gathered, as well as members of the local community, victim support and the Red Cross. It is expected family who have been out at sea will soon dock in Whakatāne, as well as members of Ngati Awa.
The mayor, Judy Turner, is also on the wharf and a large white charter ship is now approaching the dock.
More locals are arriving at the wharf, carrying handfuls of pink and red balloons. A woman in her 50s just walked onto the wharf clutching two framed photos of one of the local guides who lost his life on White Island.
Dozens of family members are arriving now, including children, who are clutching large helium balloons in the shape of hearts with ‘I love you’ written on them
Updated
New Zealand police deputy commissioner Mike Clement, who sanctioned the recovery plan, has been adamant that it has various bail-out points should risks grow to unacceptable levels.
“A lot has to go right for this to work,” Mr Clement said on Thursday.
The first boat left around 4:30am.
Whakatāne airport has been a hive of activity, with a Hercules C-130 defence force plane arriving on Wednesday to support the mission and helicopters coming and going on Friday morning.
The trip to White Island will involve as few people - believed to be SAS members - as possible and will spend as little time as possible near the crater. (Via AAP)
All the best to the recovery team heading out to #Whakaari / #whiteisland
— Tim Park (@parkecology) December 12, 2019
We are thinking of your bravery for whānau here and abroad @geonet volcano drum in the crater looks like it has settled slightly but still a high risk pic.twitter.com/xp7WBaRx7p
We’ve just had this update from deputy police commissioner John Tims, the national operations commander:
This morning a blessing was held at sea with representatives of the families of the victims of the Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption.
The family representatives are returning to the mainland and the operation to recover the eight bodies on the island has commenced.
Our reporter @katiescotcher says it's a beautifully still morning in Whakatāne.
— RNZ (@radionz) December 12, 2019
The crowd began gathering at the cordon of the Whakatāne waterfront before 5am and have been singing waiata while looking toward Whakaari / White Island, 50km from the shoreline. pic.twitter.com/EVaAklpKBP
Eleanor has been talking to Dee-Danya Hale-Riddiford, one of the dozens of local people who turned out at dawn to offer their prayers. She said:
I haven’t lost anyone but being from the area, it’s such a tragedy here that has hit all of us. Just knowing people who knew people on the island. I feel like I want to stay here but I’ve got to got to work.
It’s like being here is going to help guide them safely home … just in a spiritual way. I feel like staying here all day. I have a very, very good feeling that [the recovery operation] is going to be successful. As long as they thought it was safe to go this morning, everything’s going to go well.
Just being here this morning, doing the karakia [prayers] and blessing them on their journey and their safe return - it’s really good to be a part of this. I was hoping that something like this was going to be available for us to do, and you’ll find that most people will stay here until they have to go.
We all wish the recovery team the best of luck today as they head out to Whakaari. Even after considerable planning, there is still uncertainty. We'll play our role as best as we can. Kia Kaha everyone
— Geoff Kilgour (@NZvolcanologist) December 12, 2019
Around 100 people have gathered to hold a vigil and wait for the bodies to be returned home, reports Eleanor in Whakatāne.
Mass prayers are being led and smaller groups have broken off into circles to wrap their arms around each other and sing Amazing Grace.
A Navy Sea sprite helicopter coming into land at Whakatāne airport. 🎥 RNZ / Dom Thomas
— RNZ (@radionz) December 12, 2019
The operation to recover the bodies of the eight people missing on Whakaari / White Island is expected to get underway soon. pic.twitter.com/kQjxahDTe2
This from Eleanor in Whakatāne:
Dawn has broken in Whakatāne and the weather is clear and stable, with little sign of wind. Sunrise was at 5.40am and military choppers have been spotted leaving Whakatāne airport and flying towards the island from 5.20am.
Families with loved ones on the island have been seen boarding a large charter boat and heading out to sea - seemingly to be as close to the operation as possible
Members of the Whakatāne community have gathered on the water front to offer karakia (prayers) for the retrieval mission. The group are led by leaders of Ngati Awa, who operate White Island Tours.
Updated
4:55am. Friends and whanau are already at the cordon in Whakatane. @radionz pic.twitter.com/kB2wDInpvK
— Katie Scotcher (@katiescotcher) December 12, 2019
The recovery operation is now “under way”, according to the police.
About 50 relatives, friends and members of the local community have gathered to pray at the cordon at the Whakātane boat ramp, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ):
“Some have told RNZ they are desperate for the bodies of those missing on Whakaari, which is 50km off shore, to be recovered today.”
A bit more background here from my colleague Eleanor Ainge Roy’s report from Whakatāne:
An elder from the Maori tribe of Ngati Awa offered a karakia (prayer) for the retrieval mission on Thursday evening, and a large contingent of domestic and international media wished the commissioner “good luck”, after he admitted he was “very worried” about the risks involved in the retrieval mission, with his greatest fear being the volcano’s unpredictability.
Clements said police had decided to go with the snatch and grab option – essentially, to get on and off the island as quickly as possible – despite the numerous risks involved.
Updated
AAP also has some quotes explaining how the operation’s planners have weighed up the risks.
GNS Science, New Zealand’s geological monitoring agency, has given a 50-60% chance of another eruption on White Island.
Nico Fournier, a GNS volcanologist charged with providing information to the emergency committee, said the level of risk was one part of the conversation, and the acceptability of that risk was another.
“You wouldn’t jump in a car which is engulfed in flames if nothing was in there. If it’s your child, you will,” he said.
“That acceptability of risk is an important conversation.”
National Emergency Management Agency director Sarah Stuart-Black said the decision had the support of the committee.
“This is a police decision ... this will be their decision and I’ll support them,” she said.
The return of the bodies is a major issue in Whakatāne, particularly for the families of local tour guides Marshall Inman and Tipene Maangi, whose bodies lie near the crater.
Whakatane Mayor Judy Turner said there was a “growing desperation” among families to see bodies returned.
Inman’s brother Mark has made a public appeal to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, asking her to relax travel restrictions on the island.
Updated
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) has a few more specifics on the operation:
Eight people are likely to travel to the island via helicopter stationed on a nearby navy vessel, the HMNZS Wellington.
Police believe the bodies lie around 300m from the crater, within 200 square metres, in small clusters.
It would take around 15 minutes to walk from the shore to the region where the retrieval would take place.
If all goes well, the bodies will then be transported to the mainland.
First, defence personnel will have to find the bodies.
Clement confirmed their surveillance had only spotted six bodies, despite their view they are missing eight people.
“We know exactly where (the six) are. So our first priority will be to get those six people,” he said.
“We can’t find anything more than six. That’s not to say they aren’t there.
“We will have very limited opportunity to look about for one or two others.”
Updated
Here is yesterday’s full statement on the recovery operation from Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement:
Tomorrow morning we have a plan, the resources and the capability to the recover the bodies on Whakaari / White Island.
The plan is contingent on a number of risk factors which will be assessed at the time. These factors include the conditions on the island and the weather.
Tomorrow morning New Zealand Defence Force assets and people with specialist capabilities from Defence, Police and other agencies will undertake the operation. Returning the bodies on the island to their loved ones remains our focus.
We have the right people with the right skills and the right equipment.
We will make every effort to recover all of the bodies however our plan is subject to things beyond our control such as the island and the weather.
A lot has to go right for us tomorrow to make this work.
There is no zero risk option in regard to the plan but we have carefully considered it. We don’t expect the risk to change tonight or tomorrow but we have planned for it.
Police and members of the New Zealand Defence Force are preparing to launch a mission to recover the bodies of eight of the 16 people who are believed to have died in Monday’s volcanic eruption on White Island.
Eight members of the country’s armed forces are due to deploy at first light - despite the risk that the volcano could erupt again.
The operation is expected to last several hours. According to police, six of the eight bodies have already been located; the whereabouts of the other two are unknown.
“The plan is contingent on a number of risk factors which will be assessed at the time,” deputy police commissioner Mike Clement said on Thursday afternoon.
“These factors include the conditions on the island and the weather.”
Clements said police had been facing increasing pressure from families to retrieve the bodies, as there was a very real chance another eruption could mean they would be lost forever.
On Thursday, a volcanologist said the volcano’s state of unrest had increased since the eruption and there was now a 50-60% chance of another eruption in the next 24 hours.
Details of the police operation came as it emerged two more people had died from injuries sustained during the eruption. A total of 16 people are believed to have died, with 14 confirmed deaths of Australian citizens or permanent residents. A New Zealander, tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, has also died.
