Pictured: Shocked cruise ship passengers caught up in NZ volcano tragedy comfort one another

Stunned cruise ship passengers are still coming to grips with the devastating tragedy on White Island that may have claimed the lives of dozens of their fellow travellers.

Several passengers from the Ovation of the Seas hugged and comforted each other and inspected flowers at a makeshift memorial after the massive cruise liner docked at the Port of Tauranga on Tuesday.

The outpouring of emotion came 24hrs after the volcano off the coast of Whakatane in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region erupted for the first time since 2001.

Piping-hot steam, gas and ash spewed into the sky while 47 people were visiting the island. Five have been confirmed dead, eight are still missing presumed dead and 31 were rushed to hospital – some with horrific burns on up to 90 per cent of their bodies.

Outpouring of emotion: Passengers from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship embrace in front of flowers left by locals at the Port of Tauranga where the ship berthed following the volcano on White Island

Flowers are laid at a makeshift memorial in front of the cruise ship caught up in New Zealand's volcano tragedy

Flowers are laid at a makeshift memorial in front of the cruise ship caught up in New Zealand’s volcano tragedy

The victims range in age from 13 to 72. Two are from the United Kingdom, four from Germany, 24 from Australia, five from New Zealand, two from China, one from Malaysia and nine from the United States.

Of those on the island, 38 were passengers from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship which made its way to New Zealand from Sydney, and were travelling on a boat operated by White Island Tours.

On Wednesday, passengers made their way around Tauranga, about an hour away from Whakatane, as the 4918-capacity vessel sat docked in the city’s harbour.

There were emotional reunions between tourists who had become friends during the trip but were yet to see each other after Monday’s explosion.

‘Oh my God! I had the worst feeling that it was you,’ one woman shrieked as she hugged her friend outside the cruise ship on Tuesday afternoon.

Woman is consoled at Whakatane

Whakatane is where the doomed tour boat took off from

Earlier in Whakatane, emotional residents gathered by the wharf where the doomed tour boat took off from

Flowers were pinned to the fence at the Whakatane waterfront in a show of mourning for those lost in the tragedy

Flowers were pinned to the fence at the Whakatane waterfront in a show of mourning for those lost in the tragedy

Australian tourists Avis and Ray Steer, both aged in their 70s, recalled the dramatic moment the cruise ship’s captain notified the passengers of the disaster.

‘When he came back to the ship and told us all what had happened, you could’ve heard a pin drop,’ Ms Steer told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We didn’t know anything until we got back to the boat… It’s a very sombre mood.

‘It’s terrible… On a holiday like this to have those lives snubbed out. We feel terrible for the captain. It’s awful for the folk of New Zealand.’

Ms Steer commended the ship’s captain for his handling of the crisis, adding that he had asked passengers to refrain from commenting on those who had died until their family were given the chance to grieve.

‘He’s asked us to have the people in our thoughts and prayers. I’d say he’s doing an excellent job,’ she said.

The Adelaide couple said they had not heard any warnings about travelling to White Island before the eruption but that they were not interested in going as they had planned their travel itinerary ahead of time.

Piping-hot steam, gas and ash spewed into the sky while 47 people were visiting the island

Piping-hot steam, gas and ash spewed into the sky while 47 people were visiting the island

A number of crew and passengers from the cruise liner are believed to be among the missing

A number of crew and passengers from the cruise liner are believed to be among the missing

Panicked family and friends had been frantically calling those on board to confirm they weren’t on the island at the time.

The Steers said they planned to continue traveling onboard the Ovation of the Seas as it sails to Wellington at the bottom of the North Island, it’s next destination.

The cruise ship is due to depart Tauranga at 7.15 on Wednesday morning, and locals have planned to farewell the passengers by applauding as they leave. 

Earlier in Whakatane, emotional residents gathered by the wharf on Tuesday morning, where the doomed tour boat took off from to mourn those who had died.

Cafe workers were seen hugging each other and crying as they relived the previous day’s deadly events.

Mataatua Wharenui, a marae or communal Maori meeting place about 50m from the wharf in Whakatane, became a makeshift refuge for those who had been impacted by the explosion.

A man places a bouquet on a fence at the Whakatane waterfront

A man places a bouquet on a fence at the Whakatane waterfront

Questions have been asked about the safety of the tours to White Island and whether those who agreed to take part were fully aware of the risks they were taking

Questions have been asked about the safety of the tours to White Island and whether those who agreed to take part were fully aware of the risks they were taking

 A criminal investigation has been launched into the deaths.

Questions have been asked about the safety of the tours to White Island, and whether those who agreed to take part were fully aware of the risks they were taking.

New Zealand Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis said it was inappropriate to answer those questions while bodies remain on White Island.

 A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Gisborne on the North Island’s east coast – near Whakatane and Tauranga – on Tuesday afternoon.

Experts say there is a 50 per cent chance White Island will erupt again in the next 24 hours – leaving already shellshocked residents and tourists waiting in fear.

The flag is flown at half mast at Mataatua Wharenui, a marae or communal Maori meeting place about 50m from the wharf in Whakatane, which became a makeshift refuge for those who had been impacted by the explosion

The flag is flown at half mast at Mataatua Wharenui, a marae or communal Maori meeting place about 50m from the wharf in Whakatane, which became a makeshift refuge for those who had been impacted by the explosion

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk