A volcanic eruption on New Zealand's White Island, also called Whakaari, is affecting travelers going to and from the area.
Fewer than 50 people were on the island when it erupted and 23 – including five dead – have been evacuated, said Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims. He was unsure of the exact number of people missing but said it was in the double digits.
Still more people are reported missing on the island but police said the situation remains too dangerous for search and rescue crews.
Videos and photos shared on social media show massive plumes of smoke coming off the volcanic island off the country's northeast coast.
Travel does not seem to be affected on a larger scale, however.
As of 8 a.m. EST Monday, the eruption did not appear to be affecting flights, with no significant cancellations or delays in or out of Auckland, Wellington or Australia.
According to Reuters and Newsweek, cruise line officials say some tourists on the island during Monday's eruption were on a shore excursion to the area.
Royal Caribbean confirmed to the Associated Press that several passengers from the Ovation of the Seas were touring White Island on Monday.
According to the ship-tracking website Vesselfinder.com, Ovation of the Seas has since left port in Tauranga, about 56 miles from the island, and is headed for Wellington, New Zealand. It is not clear if the ship's passengers were among those who have been evacuated.
USA TODAY has reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment.
The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office website noted that an emergency response is underway and that British citizens in the area should follow the advice of local authorities and their tour operators. Anyone in need of urgent assistance was urged to contact the British High Commission in Wellington or call +64 (0) 4 924 2888.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, nearly 1,000 tourists are stranded in the small town of Franz Josef after stormy weekend weather triggered landslides and flooding along the town’s main highway.
Authorities said road access to the town likely won’t be restored until Friday.
Some of the tourists were choosing to leave by helicopter or small plane while others were waiting until the highway reopened.
Westland Mayor Bruce Smith said many of the 970 tourists in Franz Josef were taking the news in stride, but some were frustrated their travel plans had been disrupted.
He said there were about 20 planes and helicopters flying in and out of the town to help people leave. He said some tourists wanted to stay with their vehicles while others were trying to get confirmation their travel insurance would cover the extra costs of flying out.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/12/09/new-zealand-volcano-travel-effects-royal-caribbean-cruise-nearby/2628383001/
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