13 Dec 2019

How the Whakaari recovery of bodies unfolded

From Checkpoint, 6:10 pm on 13 December 2019

Families of the eight people who were missing on Whakaari after Monday's eruption still don't know if their loved ones are among the six bodies recovered from the island.

Defence Force teams spent four hours recovering six bodies from the island - but two are yet to be found.

Police say they believe one is in the water following a sighting earlier in the week - and it's possible the other one is there too. Dive crews have been looking for them but have yet to find anything.

It's been a dramatic day in Whakataane, which has been ground-zero for the dramatic recovery mission.

The bodies of the six people recovered are being flown by Defence helicopter to Auckland.