Dozens feared dead after volcano erupts

‘NO SURVIVORS’, BELIEVE POLICE

FIVE people have been killed and many more are missing and presumed dead after a volcano erupted in New Zealand.

Eighteen others have been rescued, including some of them who are severely burned, after the volcano erupted while tourists were exploring its surface.

A missing persons list shows up to five people with a UK birthplace still unaccounted for.

Police said that the site was too dangerous even hours later for rescuers to search for the missing but that aircraft had seen no signs of life.

“Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island,” police said in a statement.

Police deputy commissioner John Tims said there were fewer than 50 people on the island and 23 had been taken off, including the five dead.

Mr Tims said experts had told them the island remained unstable but search and rescue teams wanted to get back as quickly as they could.

Mr Tims said both New Zealanders and overseas tourists were among those who were dead, missing or injured.

He said most of the 18 who survived were injured and some had suffered severe burns.

A spokesman for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said they are seeking “further information” from authorities.

Some of those involved were guests from the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Ovation of the Seas. The cruise ship, which had left from Sydney last week, was scheduled to sail to the capital Wellington last night but the company said it would instead remain in the Tauranga port overnight until it learned more on the situation.