Five people have been confirmed dead as a result of the volcanic eruption New Zealand’s Whakaari/White Island, a figure that is expected to rise.
New Zealand police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the death on behalf of the coroner. Earlier on Tuesday police said they had launched a criminal investigation, but later corrected that: “It is too early to confirm whether there will also be a criminal investigation,” a statement said.
Eight people are missing, presumed dead, and 31 are in hospital.
NZ police have confirmed the following nationalities of the 47 people on the island at the time of the eruption as: UK (two), Germany (four), Australia (24), New Zealand (five), China (two), Malaysia (one), United States (nine).
Thirty-one people are in hospital, of whom 27 are suffering from burns to more than 30% of their bodies, including inhalation burns. Not all patients are expected to survive. Three people were discharged from hospital earlier.
There is a 50% chance of another eruption of the same size or smaller in the next 24 hours, although monitoring equipment showed a reduction in seismic activity.
Police efforts to monitor conditions on the island using a drone have been hampered by the wind.
Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has said 13 Australians are in hospital and 11 unaccounted for, including up to three of those confirmed dead
Whakaari/White Island, New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, is a popular tourist destination and scientific research site. It previously had a short-lived eruption in 2016.
