volcanic Eruptions on White Island in New Zealand on Monday and claimed the lives of at least five persons life.

Fisherman Dan Harvey found himself on the sea 30 kilometers from the island of White Island in New Zealand, when the island’s volcano erupted.

– White Island smoking is often a little bit, but then we could see a small blast, and the train to and was just bigger, and it looked like an explosion from hell was brewing, he says to the new zealand television station TVNZ.

the Eruption of the volcano on Monday afternoon local time has claimed at least five people, while there were barely 50 people on or near the island on the north east coast of the country.

According to the media, the NZ Herald was a of the dead person is a passenger on a cruise ship, which Monday was in the bay on the Bay of Plenty, where White Island is located.

The other passengers are shocked of the outbreak.

– Oh my God. It is really scary and so, so terrible, says the australian Rachel Brown to the NZ Herald.

There are up to 27 missing persons. The shipping company New Zealand Cruise (NZCA) has expressed its concern that several passengers had perished.

– We would like to express our heartfelt concern for the passengers and their families, says the chief executive of NZCA director Kevin O’Sullivan to the new zealand media.

That live no people at White Island, but it is possible for tourists to visit the.

Footage from a camera which is mounted on the volcanic island, showing people walking towards the volcano just before it erupts.

The american tourist Michael Schade has posted a video on Twitter of a huge ash cloud that stands up from the island. The video is recorded from a boat moving away from the island.

– It is so hard to believe. Our whole group stood literally at the edge of the largest crater, less than 30 minutes before it broke out, writes Michael Schade on Twitter.

/ritzau/