“I’ve got to consider the safety of our people and emergency services staff.”
The eruption occurred at 2.11pm, thrusting a thick plume of white ash 3.6km into the sky.
Seconds before, live camera feeds showed a group of several people walking on the crater floor. Then the images went black.
A considerable number of those caught up in the disaster are believed to be Australian, according to officials in Canberra.
About 30 people are also believed to be cruise passengers on a day trip from the vessel Ovation of the Seas, Kevin O’Sullivan, CEO of industry body the New Zealand Cruise Association, said.
Ship operator Royal Caribbean — who had billed the trip to White Island as “an unforgettable guided tour of New Zealand’s most active volcano” — said a number of its guests were touring the island but did not confirm that number.
The ship has a capacity of about 4,000 people and set sail from Sydney last week on a 12-day voyage.
Tourist Michael Schade made it off the island just in time and was able to capture footage of the devastation.
His videos showed groups of startled tourists clustered by the shoreline, waiting to be evacuated as the ground around them smouldered, the sky filled with white debris.
An ash-caked helicopter lay damaged nearby.
As his ship hurtled away, the caldera became virtually invisible, shrouded by a thick bank of ash.
Volcanic Air said they had landed a helicopter on the island shortly before the eruption carrying four visitors and one pilot. All were now accounted for.
“It had landed on the island. What happened after that we don’t know, but we know that all five made it back to Whakatane on one of the tourist boats,” a company spokesperson said.
Skydive Tauranga co-director Guillaume Calmelet saw the eruption from above as he took a customer on a tandem skydive from a plane 4,000m above the Bay of Plenty.
“As soon as the parachute opened there was this huge cloud that was really different to whatever we’ve seen before,” he said.
“I could see it coming out in free fall, so it was probably about 30 seconds for the whole cloud to form, if that. It was pretty quick.”
The country’s National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) described the eruption as “moderate”, though the plume of ash was clearly visible from the mainland and from satellites flying overhead.
“We have seen a steady decline in activity since the eruption.
“There remains significant uncertainty as to future changes, but currently there are no signs of escalation.”
White Island is about 50km from the east coast of North Island and huge plumes were visible from the mainland.
The island’s immediate surroundings were hazardous because of the eruption, the agency said, adding that falling ash might affect some areas.
The “short-lived eruption” threw an ash plume about 3,658m high, New Zealand’s geoscience agency GNS Science said, but added that there were no current signs of an escalation.
White Island — also known as Whakaari — in the picturesque Bay of Plenty is popular with adventurous tourists willing to don hard hats and gas masks.
It is New Zealand’s most active volcano cone and about 70% of it is underwater, according to government-backed agency GeoNet. — AFP, Reuters
At least five dead after shock eruption of New Zealand volcano
Image: INSTAGRAM @ALLESSANDROKAUFFMANN/VIA REUTERS
Five people were killed, 18 injured and several more left stranded after an island volcano popular with tourists erupted unexpectedly in New Zealand on Monday.
Police said about 50 people were visiting White Island when the volcano exploded suddenly in the early afternoon, hurling ash and rock high into the air.
Two dozen people made it off the island, five of whom have since died. The rest are being treated for injuries, including severe burns.
Nothing is yet known about a group — now estimated to number in the double digits — who are still trapped on the island.
“We’re unsure of the exact numbers on there and we’re unsure of their wellbeing,” deputy commissioner John Tims said.
As night fell, he said volcanic activity made a rescue attempt too dangerous.
“The island is unstable, there’s a danger of further eruptions. It is physically unsafe for us to return to the island.
Image: INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR SCIENCE/AFP
“I’ve got to consider the safety of our people and emergency services staff.”
The eruption occurred at 2.11pm, thrusting a thick plume of white ash 3.6km into the sky.
Seconds before, live camera feeds showed a group of several people walking on the crater floor. Then the images went black.
A considerable number of those caught up in the disaster are believed to be Australian, according to officials in Canberra.
About 30 people are also believed to be cruise passengers on a day trip from the vessel Ovation of the Seas, Kevin O’Sullivan, CEO of industry body the New Zealand Cruise Association, said.
Ship operator Royal Caribbean — who had billed the trip to White Island as “an unforgettable guided tour of New Zealand’s most active volcano” — said a number of its guests were touring the island but did not confirm that number.
The ship has a capacity of about 4,000 people and set sail from Sydney last week on a 12-day voyage.
Tourist Michael Schade made it off the island just in time and was able to capture footage of the devastation.
His videos showed groups of startled tourists clustered by the shoreline, waiting to be evacuated as the ground around them smouldered, the sky filled with white debris.
An ash-caked helicopter lay damaged nearby.
As his ship hurtled away, the caldera became virtually invisible, shrouded by a thick bank of ash.
Volcanic Air said they had landed a helicopter on the island shortly before the eruption carrying four visitors and one pilot. All were now accounted for.
“It had landed on the island. What happened after that we don’t know, but we know that all five made it back to Whakatane on one of the tourist boats,” a company spokesperson said.
Skydive Tauranga co-director Guillaume Calmelet saw the eruption from above as he took a customer on a tandem skydive from a plane 4,000m above the Bay of Plenty.
“As soon as the parachute opened there was this huge cloud that was really different to whatever we’ve seen before,” he said.
“I could see it coming out in free fall, so it was probably about 30 seconds for the whole cloud to form, if that. It was pretty quick.”
The country’s National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) described the eruption as “moderate”, though the plume of ash was clearly visible from the mainland and from satellites flying overhead.
“We have seen a steady decline in activity since the eruption.
“There remains significant uncertainty as to future changes, but currently there are no signs of escalation.”
White Island is about 50km from the east coast of North Island and huge plumes were visible from the mainland.
The island’s immediate surroundings were hazardous because of the eruption, the agency said, adding that falling ash might affect some areas.
The “short-lived eruption” threw an ash plume about 3,658m high, New Zealand’s geoscience agency GNS Science said, but added that there were no current signs of an escalation.
White Island — also known as Whakaari — in the picturesque Bay of Plenty is popular with adventurous tourists willing to don hard hats and gas masks.
It is New Zealand’s most active volcano cone and about 70% of it is underwater, according to government-backed agency GeoNet. — AFP, Reuters
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