Wellington, Dec 10 (UNI) At least five people were killed and eight went missing after the volcanic eruption in New Zealand's White Island, police confirmed on Tuesday.
As many as 34 people survived the explosion of whom 31 are still undergoing treatment in a hospital.
Among the missing or injured are New Zealanders, who were part of the tour operation, and tourists from some other countries, including Australia, the United States, Britain and Malaysia, BBC reported.
Reacting to the incident, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he "feared" three of the five confirmed dead were Australian.
Mr Morrison said that 24 Australians were on board a cruise ship exploring the island in the Bay of Plenty when the volcano erupted. Of those, 13 had been hospitalised and 11 were unaccounted for, he said.
"This is a terrible tragedy, a time of great innocence and joy interrupted by the horror of that eruption," Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a press conference on Tuesday that she shared the "unfathomable grief" of those who had lost loved ones.
Tourists were seen walking inside the crater of White Island volcano moments before it erupted. Ms Ardern said further rescue efforts for the missing were now 'very sadly a recovery operation'.
The survivors of the eruption were taken off the uninhabited island by boat or by helicopter.
So far, emergency services were unable to search the area because of dangerous conditions, with plumes of smoke and ash continuing to rise above the volcano.
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