New Zealand Recovers 6 Bodies From Volcanic Island, Prepares Airlift

New Zealand Recovers 6 Bodies From Volcanic Island, Prepares Airlift
An aerial view of the Whakaari, also known as White Island volcano, in New Zealand, Dec. 12, 2019. Reuters/Jorge Silva
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A New Zealand military team that landed on a volcanic island on Friday has recovered six of eight bodies and are preparing to send them back to the capital city Wellington, police said in a statement.

The high-risk operation on White Island, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) off the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island began after 6 a.m. (1700 GMT Thursday) despite the risk of a fresh volcanic eruption.