‘No signs of life’: NZ PM says foreign tourists among those hit by White Island volcanic eruption

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that tourists from Australia, the US, UK, China and Malaysia are among those affected by the deadly volcanic eruption on White Island, which has claimed five lives so far.

There are also a number of New Zealanders among the missing, who were part of a tour operation, Ardern told reporters in Whakatane, a town near the island. The PM said a number of people are in hospital in “critical condition.”

Police had already confirmed that five people lost their lives, while 31 were in hospital after suffering injuries when the volcano erupted, sending a thick plume of smoke and ash up over the island, a popular tourist destination.

Authorities said they are not expecting to find any more survivors on the island after aerial reconnaissance flights showed no indications of life.

Ardern confirmed to reporters that a helicopter pilot had done both an aerial survey and also moved around on the island for some time before reporting back that there were no signs of life there after the eruption.

The New Zealand Red Cross has set up a web page where families can register missing relatives. The page includes people from India, Australia, Canada, France and other European countries.

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