New Zealand eruption: Police release list of missing people after White Island volcano disaster

‘Significant’ risk of further eruption keeping officials from reaching island

New Zealand police have released a partial list of people missing after the White Island volcanic eruption.

Senior officers said the list – mostly Australian citizens – was incomplete because they had been unable to speak with the families of others feared to have been caught up in Monday’s eruption.

And they said that recovery efforts were being hampered by increased volcanic activity on White Island, which is also known as Whakaari.

Nonetheless, “disaster victim identification specialists” are ready to depart as soon as practicable.

“The chance of a further eruption is significant and it is too dangerous to return to the island,” said deputy commissioner John Tims in a statement.

He added: “We are standing by and ready to go as soon as we can be confident that the risks on the island are manageable.

“Those deploying to the island will likely encounter serious physical and chemical hazards, for which we must be prepared.”

Officers are analysing drone footage taken on Wednesday of the island.

The nine people officially missing are Gavin Dallow, Jessica Richards, Krystal Browitt, Richard Elzer, Zoe Hosking, Karla Matthews and Julie Richards, of Australia; plus New Zealanders Tipene Maangi and Hayden Inman.

“We have a definitive list of people in hospital whose names we can’t release due to privacy reasons,” Mr Tims added.

Earlier this week, Mr Tims said police believed there were no more survivors of the eruption and that no signs of life had been spotted on Whakaari.

Two groups of people were on the island when it erupted, New Zealand’s prime minister said, only one of which was taken off successfully.

Police, alongside health and safety officials, are now investigating the circumstances of the eruption that killed at least six people and left 30 more injured.