Far North Queensland man missing following NZ volcano eruption
UPDATE: A far north Queensland man has been found safe onboard a cruise ship after being listed as missing following the eruption of a New Zealand volcano.
EARLIER: A far north Queensland man has been listed among a list of people still unaccounted for, following a volcano eruption in New Zealand.
78 year-old Robert Rogers from Herberton is among 20 Australians on the Red Cross website Restoring Family Links.
The list was established following the eruption of White Island in the Bay of Plenty yesterday.
It’s unknown whether Mr Rogers had been aboard the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship, which remains moored in nearby Tauranga awaiting news of and supporting passengers who’d taken day trips to the island when the volcano erupted.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says 24 Australians had been visiting the island as part of the tours.
Three Australians are believed to be among five people confirmed dead so far.
A further 13 are among the injured.
The Red Cross list is continuously being updated as people register themselves as alive.
The eruption has been followed by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake centred near Gisborne on New Zealand's north island but experts say the two seismic events are unrelated.
