Five dead and several missing after volcano erupts with tourists in crater

A volcanic eruption on New Zealand's White Island has killed five people, but the death toll is expected to rise again once rescuers carry out a search for bodies.

The entire island is covered in ash and volcanic material and there are fears of additional eruptions, making it too dangerous for police and rescuers to set foot on the island.The five people who died had all been rescued from the island with severe injuries.Tourists were seen walking inside the crater of the volcano - also known by its Māori name Whakaari - moments before the explosion.

Police said less than 50 people were on the island, which is about 30 miles off the coast of New Zealand's North Island.New Zealand's national police force said: "There remain a number of people on the island who are unaccounted for."At this stage, we can confirm there has been one fatality, and based on the information we have it is likely there are others.

She said: "I know that there will be a huge amount of anxiety for those who had loved ones on the island at the time." Kevin O'Sullivan, chief executive of the New Zealand Cruise Association, said: "We believe there is a tour party from Ovation of the Seas involved in the White Island eruption.Ovation of the Seas is a 16-deck cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises. It can take nearly 5,000 passengers and has a crew of about 1,500.A company spokesperson said: "We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today.A no-fly zone has been set up around the island.

Last month, GNS raised the volcano's alert level to two - meaning "moderate to heightened volcanic unrest" - because of an increase in activity."The patterns of signals are similar to those through the 2011-2016 period and suggest that Whakaari/White Island may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal."

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