An Australian reporter has fired up at a press conference over questions being brushed off by officials working on the White Island disaster response.
Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall and Acting Assistant Commissioner Bruce Bird were holding a conference on Wednesday morning, to discuss the identification and coronial process following the eruption.
A reporter questioned Judge Marshall about whether she knew who remained on the island, based on those who had already been recovered. Eight people remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.
But that question went unanswered and the press conference was abruptly ended. Judge Marshall and Bird walked out, leaving reporters less than impressed.
Robert Ovadia, from Australia's 7 News, could be heard venting his frustrations.
"This is [totally] unreasonable, we've had four minutes!" Ovadia says as Judge Marshall and Bird leave the room. "Really?"
Earlier in the conference, Bird told reporters in Whakatane that the bodies of the dead had been flown to Auckland for identification and coronial processes.
The police won't confirm the nationalities of the dead yet, he said, adding their names will be released after the identification process.
Before the conference, police released a statement acknowledging the desire of families for information and to get their loved ones back from the island.
"It is important to note that the environment on the island has changed since the eruption," the statement said.
The number of people confirmed dead from the eruption is currently six, but is expected to rise.
There are 30 patients across six hospitals in New Zealand. Twenty-five patients are in a critical condition. The remainder are in a serious condition.
