New Zealand police call off search for two bodies still missing after volcano eruption

Police in New Zealand are calling off the search for two bodies still missing following the eruption of a volcano on the country’s White Island.

The bodies of Winona Langford, a 17-year-old Australian tourist, and Hayden Marshall-Inman, a 40-year-old New Zealand tour guide, are thought to have been swept into the ocean following the explosion earlier this month.

Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Andy McGregor said in a statement on Tuesday that the search for the victims has been suspended and that their families had been informed.

He said: "The search for the two missing victims of the Whakaari/ White Island eruption has been suspended…The families of the two missing people have been informed of this decision. Police remain ready to respond if new information comes to light.”

New Zealand Volcano eruption: White Island - In pictures

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Police said on Monday one of those injured during the eruption had died in an Auckland hospital on the weekend, bringing the death toll to 19.

The majority of the victims the powerful eruption of White Island were Australian citizens or permanent residents.

There has been criticism that tourists were allowed on the island, a popular destination for day-trippers, given the risks of an active volcano. That has led to speculation the tragedy could lead to major changes for New Zealand's thrillseeker tourism industry.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said official inquiries by coroners and work safety regulators into the eruption could take up to a year, and will carry potential criminal penalties of up to five years in jail.

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