New Zealand volcano: Police call off search for two missing victims

Police in New Zealand have suspended the search for the bodies of two people still missing after the deadly eruption of a volcano earlier this month.

Nineteen people were killed after the eruption on White Island, also known as Whakaari, with dozens more treated in hospital. Six people died in hospital after sustaining serious burns.

Those still missing, presumed dead, are Winona Langford, 17, an Australian tourist, and Hayden Marshall-Inman, 40, a New Zealand tour guide. Their bodies are thought to have been swept into the ocean around the uninhabited volcanic island.

"The search for the two missing victims of the Whakaari/White Island eruption has been suspended," the police said.

"The families of the two missing people have been informed of this decision. Police remain ready to respond if new information comes to light."

Police said on Monday that one of those injured during the eruption had died in an Auckland hospital at the weekend.

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 that the tragedy could lead to major changes for New Zealand's thrill-seeker tourism industry.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's PM, has said that 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.