New Zealand volcano tour guide named as first victim of White Island eruption

Hayden Marshall-Inman was an experienced tour guide with White Island Tours and people have described him as a man with a kind nature who died doing what he loved

Heartbroken friends and family paid tribute to a New Zealand tour guide killed after a volcano erupted on White Island.

Hayden Marshall-Inman has been named by his brother Mark Inman as one of the five people thought dead so far.

Mark Inman posted on Facebook today: "Friends and family, very sad news this evening. My bro Hayden Marshall-Inman has past away doing the one thing he loved.

"Thanks for all your messages. I’ll be in touch when we know more."

On Mark's Facebook post, people who knew Hayden have described his kind, generous and energetic nature.

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One person described how he he would pay $5 "towards the next person's groceries" whenever he came into their store to buy something.

"He had the kindest heart, it was never about him, he definitely created a ripple affect of happiness to others," they wrote.

Another wrote how Hayden was "an absolute spectacular human, likely to have saved many lives on that island today because he was that kinda person."

And another said Hayden was "such a top man."

They wrote: "He’s left a huge impact on this world. Truly one of the good guys."  

A public Facebook post from friend Hannah Irakau Pehi details how Hayden was a "great man, skipper and friend."

They wrote: "He saved me once. I can imagine him trying to save the people he was with. I can't quite even fathom his not being here..."

The New Zealand Herald quotes Tony Bonne, the former mayor of Whakatane, the nearest town in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of the country.

Mr Bonne said Hayden was "a young energetic man who's lost his life".

White Island Tours released a statement saying the company was "deeply saddened following the significant eruption".

Paul Quinn, Chairman for White Island Tours, said: “Devastation is an understatement. This is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been impacted.”

There are fears for the lives of 24 other people including four Brits after the volcano erupted as tourists walked around the site in Bay of Plenty today.

The missing people were said to be mainly foreign tourists with many from a visiting cruise ship, the Ovation of the Seas.

Horrifying webcam images showed holidaymakers and guides standing in the crater moments before the eruption hit White Island.

Four Britons are listed as "missing" on a Red Cross list, which allows family and friends concerned about loved ones to register an inquiry.

Authorities have there is no sign of life on the island, also known as Whakaari, following flyovers late on Monday local time.

Anyone who could have been could have taken alive from the island would have been rescued already, they believe.

Police said in a statement: "The Police Eagle helicopter, rescue helicopter, and NZDF aircraft have undertaken a number of aerial reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption.

"No signs of life have been seen at any point.

"Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation.

"Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island."

Victims suffering from severe burns were ferried to New Zealand’s North Island, 30 miles away, on tourist boats.

At least seven of the injured remain in a critical condition today in hospitals in Tauranga and Auckland.

Rescuers were unable to get onto the popular island near the Bay of Plenty because of fears of further eruptions.

But police said aerial reconnaissance flights had not identified any signs of life there.

They added in a statement: “We believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of evacuation.