Six Bodies Have Been Recovered On White Island During Extremely Risky Operation

The New Zealand Defence Force has recovered at least six of the eight bodies off White Island following the deadly volcano eruption on Monday.

The deputy police commissioner for National Operations, John Tims, says the bodies were prepared to be airlifted by helicopter back to the recovery team’s vessel moored in the Bay of Plenty. 

Eight members of the military have taken up the dangerous recovery operation, entering the island which volcanologists believe has a 40 - 60 per cent chance of erupting again.

The rescuers are wearing protective gear to shield them from fatally toxic volcanic gases, as well as ash, making conditions difficult to traverse, consequently slowing down the operation.

The eight bodies the Defence Force are searching for are believed to belong to local tour guides Hayden Marshall-Inman and Tipene Maangi, as well as Australian tourists Krystal Browitt, Richard Elzer, Karla Matthews, Julie Richards, Jessica Richards and Zoe Hosking.

Still unaccounted for are married couple Martin and Barbara Hollander, as well as Anthony Langford, his wife, Kristine, and their daughter, Winona.

Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement told reporters Thursday evening:

“The risk has not passed.The people who are going to be protected by the equipment they will wear tomorrow are few and far between and so we have spent considerable time making sure we have the right people with the right skills and the right equipment.

“A lot has to go right for this to work,” he said. “We will all be waiting tomorrow morning to ensure that the people who are putting themselves in harm’s way in the interests of recovering those bodies, our thoughts and our prayers and our love will be with them.”

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