On December 9, in White Island, New Zealand, the Whakaari volcano erupted, and 70% of the volcano sits under the sea, resulting in six casualties along with at least eight missing people. 

Of the 47 people that were on the volcano at the time, many of them had suffered 3rd-degree burns to various parts of the body, including the lungs when the eruption occurred around two in the afternoon.

According to the New Zealand Police Department, the people that went missing are as follows: Gavin Dallow, Jessica Richards, Krystal Browitt, Richard Elzer, Zoe Hosking, Karla Matthews, Julie Richards, and New Zealand local, Tipene Maangi.

Police chief, Matthew McKew, said that the police’s number one priority was to find all the missing people and anyone else still unknown. But due to the environmental changes from the eruption, New Zealand’s Police Department sent out drones above the island on the following day of December 10, stating that it’s too dangerous to recover the bodies at the moment.

Many who were on boats near White Island were devastated when they saw tourists get hit by the Whakaari volcano that erupted.

When the volcano stopped erupting, a crew ship called the ”Ovation Of The Seas,” the samaritans on that crew ship decided to try and recover the bodies as they were passing by. The crew ship stopped and picked up the injured people onto the crew ship and got them to be treated for their injuries like most that have severe burns.

The New Zealand Police Department states that some of the injured samaritans will not survive from their severe burns. Dr. Peter Watson, the chief of the Manukau Health Department mentioned that 22 patients that were taken care of remained in critical condition and needed airway support.