Five dead, many missing, after volcanic eruption on New Zealand island popular with tourists - The Washington Post

Actually, Lauren responded, it is. The Ureys had plans to visit White Island, which bills itself as “New Zealand’s most active volcano.” But Lauren and Matthew, 36, weren’t worried, Barham said. “They weren’t concerned that there was any chance of an eruption,” she said.

Then, shortly after 2 p.m. Monday local time, as groups of tourists, including the Ureys, explored on or near the island, thick clouds of ash started billowing out of the volcano. It was erupting.

At least five people have now died and many are still missing following what scientists have called a “throat-clearing kind of eruption” that released ash 12,000 meters above the popular tourist destination. The American couple were rushed to a hospital with severe burn injuries, Barham said, but their families have since heard no updates about their condition.

“On the scheme of things for volcanic eruptions, it’s not large, but if you were close to that, it is not good,” GNS Science’s Ken Gledhill said at the news conference.

Fewer than 50 visitors were on or near White Island, which is also known as Whakaari, at the time of the eruption, and 23 people have been rescued so far, New Zealand Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said at a media briefing Monday night. Among the people transported to shore, many had burn injuries and a number were taken to area hospitals, Tims said. He confirmed that of the people rescued, five have died and said he didn’t know how many are still unaccounted for, estimating that figure to be in the “double digits.”

Dangerous conditions have prevented police and rescue services from reaching the island, Tims said, citing experts who found that the area is unstable and anticipate that more eruptions could be possible.

“The physical environment is unsafe for us to return to the island,” Tims said. “It is important that we consider the health and safety of those that are going to rescue those on the island.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters at an earlier news conference that both New Zealanders and foreign visitors were on or near the island when the volcano erupted at 2:11 p.m. White Island is located roughly 30 miles from New Zealand’s North Island in the Bay of Plenty. It is uninhabited, but is frequented by tourists.

“I know there will be a huge amount of concern and anxiety for those who have loved ones on or around the island at the time, and I can assure them police are doing everything they can,” said Ardern, who noted that she will be traveling to the island Monday night along with New Zealand’s Minister of Civil Defence, Peeni Henare.

A number of visitors to the island during the eruption came from the Urey’s cruise ship, the Ovation of the Seas, which offered an excursion to the volcano. In a statement to The Washington Post, the New Zealand Cruise Association’s CEO Kevin O’Sullivan extended “heartfelt concern to the passengers and their families.”

The volcano began erupting at 2:11 p.m. Monday local time, officials said. Photos of the volcano’s crater rim minutes before the eruption showed people walking nearby, the New Zealand Herald reported.

One video taken of the eruption from a boat offshore captured thick clouds rising from the island. A voice could be heard frantically telling passengers to go inside the boat’s cabin. In another clip, the island appeared to be completely enveloped by ash.

My god, White Island volcano in New Zealand erupted today for first time since 2001. My family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable. #whiteisland pic.twitter.com/QJwWi12Tvt
— Michael Schade (@sch) December 9, 2019

On Twitter Monday afternoon, New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency warned that it was “hazardous in the immediate vicinity of the volcano” and urged people to pay attention to detailed safety advice, adding, “Act on it promptly.”

A volcanic eruption is occurring at White Island and is hazardous in the immediate vicinity of the volcano.
— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) December 9, 2019

Meanwhile, Barham told The Post she and her husband, who live east of Richmond, had no idea that chaos was unfolding halfway around the world — and that their daughter was involved. Then, Barham said she got a call from Royal Caribbean shortly after midnight Monday eastern time asking her if she had heard from Lauren. The newlyweds hadn’t returned to their cruise ship after the volcano tour and were missing.

Soon, Barham’s phone was ringing again. It was Matthew’s mother, and she had just gotten a distressing voice mail from him.

“Her son called and said that they had been on the excursion and there had been a volcano eruption and they were burned very bad,” Barham said. “He said he would try to call as soon as he could, but talking and making phone calls was difficult. His hands were so badly burned it was hard for him to make a phone call.”

In the voice mail, Matthew said he and Lauren, who also suffered similar injuries, had been taken to a hospital. Their families haven’t heard from them since, Barham said.

“Obviously, I’m panicking,” she said. “I don’t know how to act. I feel like I should be crying, but I can’t even cry.”

But as Barham tuned into news coverage about the eruption, the shock began to give way to anger. Experts had reported increased volcanic activity on the island weeks before Monday’s incident.

“I’m just livid,” she said. “There’s been warnings about it. ... My son-in-law never would have booked the excursion if he knew there was any chance of them being injured.”

GeoNet, an agency that provides geological hazard information for New Zealand, issued multiple reports of “volcanic unrest” on the island, going as far back as late October.

“Moderate volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island, with substantial gas, steam and mud bursts observed at the vent located at the back of the crater lake,” stated a report from last Tuesday.

During the news conference, Ardern declined to answer a question about whether visitors should have been allowed to go to the island given the recent increase in volcanic activity.

“In this moment in time, the absolute focus needs to be the search and rescue operation,” she said. “There will be a time and a place to undertake further assessments. Now, we have to focus on allowing the police to do their job and focus on those who were in the vicinity of the island at the time.”

Emanuel Stoakes in Christchurch, NZ contributed to this report.

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