Six bodies recovered from White Island

New Zealand authorities have recovered six more bodies after a team landed on White Island to begin a high-risk operation to bring back victims of Monday’s volcanic eruption.

The bodies are now on board the Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Wellington.

Recovery operation to retrieve the remaining bodies on White Island after volcanic eruption
 A military helicopter departs Whakatane airport during a recovery operation to retrieve the remaining bodies on White Island following it’s eruption on Monday, in Whakatane, New Zealand, 13 December 2019. EPA-EFE/DAVID ROWLAND 

The mission to recover two other bodies continues, but police have said there would be “very limited” opportunity to look for them – eight others were also killed in this week’s eruption.

Authorities have faced growing pressure from families of the victims and the local community to bring back those killed as soon as possible.

New Zealand police had previously refused to go in due to safety risks, as experts warn the island remains highly volatile.

The country’s geological science agency (GNS Science) said on Thursday that the risk of a further eruption over the next 24 hours was 50% to 60%.

Via Sky News

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