A team of expert divers will continue looking for the last two missing victims of the White Island eruption on Saturday, after the New Zealand Defence Force and police recovered six bodies from the island on Friday in a high-risk operation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Mike Clement had warned that “a lot will have to go right” for the mission to succeed, and scientists had alerted police to a 50-60 per cent chance of another eruption, but the operation went to plan. On Friday morning Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a statement that “at least one body is in the water” and divers on the police vessel Deodar were attempting to recover that body. “We're making every effort to locate and recover the two remaining deceased,” Commissioner Bush said.“This has been a harrowing event for the Whakatane community and those family and friends directly impacted by the eruption of White Island [also known as Whakaari] on Monday,” he said. This aerial photo shows White Island after its volcanic eruption in New Zealand Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 Credit: George Novak/New Zealand Herald “The operation today went to plan and we would like to recognise our partners at NZDF who have provided the specialist skills and resources to help us deliver this part of the operation… The operation was not without risk but thanks to sound planning and the skills of the specialist team involved we have recovered the six bodies.” Commissioner Bush said the environment the recovery team faced was “highly unpredictable and challenging”. GNS Science volcanologist Graham Leonard had warned that in addition to the risk of eruption, the mission would face an environment in which it would, at times, be difficult to breathe and see. Pictures of the recovery operation showed pairs of military personnel wearing breathing apparatus scouring the lunar-like landscape as inflatable dinghies and a police launch waited offshore. Six bodies have been successfully recovered from White Island and are now on board HMNZS Wellington Credit: Getty Commissioner Bush said the recovery team “showed absolute courage and commitment to ensure we can offer some closure to the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones”. “Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and we thank Iwi [the Maori people] and the local community for their support of the victims of this tragedy,” he said. Speaking to reporters after the six bodies were retrieved, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said questions over why people were allowed to visit the active volcano “must be answered, and will be answered”. New Zealand volcano An investigation is being conducted on behalf of the coroner, and an occupational health and safety investigation is also being conducted by WorkSafe, New Zealand’s peak workplace safety organisation. The Prime Minister said the time would come for accountability, but added “we also need to respect the phase we're in now, with families only just getting their loved ones back”. There are now 14 confirmed dead from the tragedy. Twenty-six people remain in hospital receiving intensive medical treatment for severe burns, the majority of whom are in critical condition. The volcano, a popular tourist destination for day-trippers, erupted on Monday, spewing ash, steam and gases over the island. Among the 47 people on the island at the time were Australian, US, German, Chinese, British and Malaysian tourists.
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