Focus: “It’s not over yet” - 6 bodies recovered from White Island, 2 still missing.
A minute's silence will be observed at 2.11pm on Monday, in honour of the victims of the Whakaari/White Island eruption, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
"Wherever you are, this is a moment we can stand alongside those who have lost," Ardern said.
"Together we can express our sorrow for those who have died and been hurt, and our support for their grieving families and friends."
The Prime Minister will observe the silence alongside the Cabinet at their weekly meeting.
The minute's silence will be exactly one week after the eruption started on Monday 9 December.
The search for the last two bodies remaining on Whakaari/White Island is continuing today, after six bodies were recovered from the volcano yesterday.
The risky work to return the dead to their loved ones began at first light yesterday, after Monday's eruption which took the lives of 16 people and injured 30, most critically.
Locals sing at the wharf in Whakatāne as the bodies of six people are recovered from Whaakari/White Island. Photo / Amelia Wade
Police said this morning the police dive squad and Navy divers would resume their search for a body seen in the water on Tuesday.
"Following the successful recovery of six bodies from the island yesterday, police and partner agencies are today analysing all information and assessing possible next steps.
"Today's planning will allow us to return to the island to conduct further land-based searches for the remaining deceased, as the environment on and around the island allows."
Eight Defence Force members wearing full protective clothing, including closed-circuit breathing apparatus to guard against the toxic gases, landed on White Island, where they retrieved six of the eight bodies left behind after Monday's deadly eruption.
The bodies were then flown to the Navy ship HMNZS Wellington, which was anchored off the island, then airlifted to Whakatāne Airport.
There, families had time to sit among their loved ones' coffins - despite not knowing which was their particular family member, deputy Labour leader Kelvin Davis said.
There was a sense of calm, peace and overriding grief during that time, Davis said.
"It was just an opportunity - as they said - regardless of whether we're from Australia or New Zealand or wherever, at that moment we're one whānau and we'll mourn everybody as if they are our own."
The bodies were then flown by helicopter to Whenuapai airbase, where they were met by the solemn sight of a row of hearses lined up on the tarmac. The bodies were taken to Auckland Hospital, where post mortems are taking place.
Six bodies arrived in Auckland yesterday. Photo / Michael Craig
This morning, police detailed the victim identification process for those recovered.
The process involved police disaster victim identification (DVI) experts, forensic pathologists, ESR, odontologists and the coroner's office.
An internationally approved process was being followed, police said in a statement, and it could take some time.
"This is a long and complex process and we are working as quickly as possible to return loved ones to their families," said Deputy Commissioner John Tims, National Operations Commander.
Police lead the DVI process through the gathering of evidence and working with families of those who are missing.
The coroner must then confirm the victims' identities.
• They are examined in detail by a pathologist, forensic dentist, fingerprint officer and the police DVI team.
• Personal effects (such as jewellery and clothing) are photographed then examined, cleaned, re-photographed and secured.
Information about the missing person is brought in from outside.
Phase 3: Ante-mortem Information retrieval
• Police gather information about possible victims, such as descriptions of appearance, clothing, jewellery, photos, medical and dental records, x-rays, fingerprints, from objects or official records (commonly collected by some overseas agencies) and DNA samples (such as from a hairbrush, toothbrush or blood sample).
• Information from post-mortem and ante-mortem phases are brought together to find a match.
• At an identification hearing, the coroner is presented evidence of the match by fingerprint, dentistry, DNA and police DVI experts and decides if identification has been established.
• Family and/or foreign authorities are advised, then media.
Phase 5: Debrief
• People involved in the DVI process keep each other updated throughout all stages.
• Support and welfare is made available to staff including stress and grief counsellors, chaplains, Victim Support and police welfare officers.
Yesterday's retrieval began with a blessing held at sea with iwi and representatives of those who died.
Family members then returned to the mainland as the daring retrieval operation began.
It involved eight people on the ground and dozens more behind the scenes and was, Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement said, not without risk.
The NZDF staff on the island were six men and two women from the explosive ordnance disposal squad, Defence Force Colonel Rian McKinstry said.
Despite the protective clothing, they were not completely protected from another eruption. The risk of another eruption within 24 hours was judged to be 50/50 by GeoNet scientists.
There was a 6 per cent chance in any three-hour period that the volcano would erupt, McKinstry said.
"We know that reunification won't ease that sense of loss or grief. I don't think anything can.
"We felt an enormous duty of care as New Zealanders to bring them back."
Mark Inman, whose White Island Tours guide brother Hayden Marshall-Inman was believed among the bodies on the island, spoke of his relief at the retrieval efforts.
Marshall-Inman is believed to have died after he went back to help others after Monday's eruption, which occurred as tourists, mostly from Australia, were visiting the island.
"It's going to allow us to grieve and send our loved ones off in the manner they deserve."
