Police won't launch overnight searches on 'unstable' White Island due to risk of further eruption
Monday, 9 December 2019
There will be no search and rescue missions on Whakaari/White Island overnight after a deadly volcanic eruption, as hopes fade that any survivors remain.
On Monday evening, Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said the island was 'unstable' and, on advice from experts, searches for the unknown number of people left on the island are being delayed.
Later, police confirmed that, with no signs of life from aerial reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption, it was not believed that there were any further survivors.
Emergency services would remain on the Bay of Plenty shore, as experts continued to assess the risk of another eruption.
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* White Island eruption live: One dead, and police expect more fatalities
Tims confirmed that five of the 23 people who had been rescued in the moments after the eruption had died. Up to 27 people were unaccounted for, but an exact number of missing has not been confirmed.
'There are possibilities of further eruptions, but actually the physical environment is unsafe for us to return to the island,' Tims said.
'It is important we consider the health and safety of those that are going to rescue those on the island.'
Tims said he did not know when it would be safe for emergency services to attempt to reach the island.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern flew from Wellington to Whakatāne, the nearest town to White Island, on Monday evening and was meeting with the council and Civil Defence.
The Defence Force announced it would be deploying the frigate HMNZS Wellington to assist police.
An NZDF ship would approach the perimeter of the island at first light on Tuesday to deploy drones and observational equipment, police said.
Two airforce helicopters had already flown to Whakatāne, and a P-3 Orion aircraft had flown over White Island to conduct surveillance.
The volcano erupted at 2.11pm on Monday afternoon. Initial reports indicated that 100 people may have been on the island, but this was later revised to around 50.
Tour boats rescued 23 people from the island shortly after the eruption. The five people who died were from this number - Tims said they were from a number of countries but would not further specify.
The 18 survivors have been rushed to hospitals around the north island with varying levels of injuries — many with burns.
Tims said it remained unknown how many people were still on the island but it was thought to be in 'double digits'.
There has been no contact with anyone on the island. 'We're unsure exactly the numbers on there, and we're unsure of their wellbeing,' he said.
Later, a police statement said that it was believed that 'anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation. Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island.'
Police are urgently working with tour operators to try and identify the number of people who are missing, presumed dead, in addition to the five confirmed fatalities.
There was a five nautical mile no-fly zone around the volcano on Monday night.
'We ask friends and family to please make contact with their loved ones, and if they have no luck, to please make contact with the Red Cross, or with ourselves,' Tims said.
The New Zealand Red Cross had opened its family links website, allowing people to register themselves as safe or notify them of a person missing.
Police can be called from New Zealand on the phone number 105, or internationally on (+64) 9 105 105.