New Zealand Police will continue their search for two remaining missing bodies following last Monday's devastating White Island eruption.
Local 40-year-old man Hayden Marshall-Inman and Sydney teenager Winona Langford remain unaccounted for, with fears their bodies may have been washed out to sea after significant weather events buffeted the island.
Winona Langford of North Willoughby, Sydney. is still missing after last week's volcano eruption. Source: Facebook
"There is no guarantee their bodies will be located and Police recognise the immense pain this must cause their families," he said.
"With the chances of finding their bodies diminishing, the nature of the recovery operation is changing."
The national rescue effeort will now revert back to a "local-led response", however the police helicopter and marine resources will remain in the area for a number of days.
"We have always had an expectation of ourselves and others that all bodies would be recovered so it’s both disappointing and frustrating to be in this position, the Deputy Comissioner said.
"I’m sure I can speak on behalf of other agencies as well as Police when I say, if the need changes, we will respond."
Of the 47 adventure tourists and guides on Whakaari during the blast, all but Mr Marshall-Inman and Ms Langford have been accounted for.
Police have remained positive and committed to returning bodies to families since establishing the retrieval operation.
Mother of volcano victim Hayden Marshall-Inman, Avey Woods, with partner Charles Woods following a meeting with police in Whakatane. Source: AP
"We are deeply sorry we haven't until this time, been able to return these bodies," Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement said on Wednesday.
"That has been our mission throughout. Firstly to save people and then to recover people.
"It hurts us. It hurts our people and it hurts everyone in the community when we don't achieve that."
"The reality is we've dived in the area where the body was last seen and we can't find it," Mr Clement told Radio NZ.
"We've also had sonar working in that area so we've got a reasonable amount of confidence it's not where we last saw it but we can't be 100 per cent confident.
"Nobody can be 100 per cent confident. That's why we're still here."
Relatives of volcano victim Hayden Marshall-Inman visit a flower tribute on the waterfront in Whakatane. Source: AP
Police are now including nearby North Island bays in their water search, believing tides in the Bay of Plenty could wash remains ashore.
"We think if there was going to be any drift in the tide of a body on the surface of the water anyway, it could potentially go that way so we have been searching that way as well," Mr Clement said.
"We just have to work with the weather; we've been lucky up to now but it's turned on us currently.
"What we do is model and put ourselves in a position where we think things could eventuate and if all of those things are playing out then we will find it.
"And if they don't, we won't."
The heartbreaking scenario comes after the jubilation of last Friday, when a crack defence force squad retrieved six bodies from nearby the crater.
Family of Mr Marshall-Inman were in Whakatane for the successful mission only to learn that he wasn't among the six bodies recovered.
Hayden's brother Mark Inman said the family was coping with its grief as best it could.
"We're staying positive. You've got to keep positive thoughts so that you can forever hope that he'll return home one day," he told 1News.
"The only positive that would come out of him not returning is his absolutely love of the island and his passion for White Island.
Tourists on a boat look at the eruption of the volcano on White Island. Source: Michael Schade
"He'll forever be a guardian out there."
Mr Marshall-Inman had a long fascination with the volcano, with his brother saying the fateful visit was his 1,111th to the island.
"You could speak to him every day about it and he'd give you a new fact or something new that had happened on the island," he said.
"He loved sharing such a beautiful place with so many people, both Kiwis and internationals."
A reception will be held on Friday in Whaktane for Mr Marshall-Inman's life.
With wires...
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