Investigation launched

The wha¯nau of Tipene Maangi stood vigil at Whakata¯ ne wharf, their gaze fixed on the volcano that claimed his life.

As news of Monday’s eruption of Whakaari/White Island headlined international media, his wha¯ nau flocked to the Bay of Plenty seaside town.

Yesterday they came in numbers, from as far as the East

Cape, some clasping black flags.

Maangi, 23, was a tour guide with White Island Tours, a job he loved, his wha¯ nau say, working alongside fellow tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman. Both are believed to have been killed during the eruption, which is understood to have claimed 13 lives.

Five deaths have been confirmed, while eight remain missing, believed dead.

Meanwhile, a further 31 people have been treated at seven hospitals throughout the country. Of those, 27 had suffered burns over more than 30 per cent of their body.

Ministry of Health spokesman Pete Watson said it’s possible that not all would survive.

One of those badly burnt was American honeymooner Lauren Urey, who was on the island with her husband, Matthew. News of her injures have infuriated her mother who was ‘‘livid’’ tourists were allowed on the island in the first place.

Police national operations commander Deputy Commissioner John Tims said yesterday that an investigation was under way.

The investigation on behalf of the coroner will happen alongside the WorkSafe probe, Tims said.

‘‘As the workplace health and safety regulator and administrator of the Adventure Activities Regulations, WorkSafe will be investigating and considering all of the relevant work health and safety issues surrounding this tragic event.’’

Meanwhile, Tims said police were doing all they could to recover the bodies and they had photos that indicated where those bodies were.

The area remained a no-fly and exclusion zone.