Passengers on board Australia's biggest cruise liner caught up in New Zealand's volcano tragedy describe the horror of watching the injured be brought back to the ship Whakaari, also known as White Island, erupted about 2pm local time on Monday
Five people died, 18 were rescued and at least 27 tourists are unaccounted for
Tourists who were aboard Ovation of the Seas are believed to be among missing
The cruise ship, which originated in Sydney, has docked in Tauranga overnight
Passengers have said they were 'grateful' they didn't go on a tour of Whakaari Tourists on Australia's biggest cruise ship are 'grateful' they decided to stay on board after passengers and crew members were caught up in New Zealand's volcano tragedy.
At least five people died in the powerful eruption on White Island, also known as Whakaari, at 2.11pm local time on Monday when an estimated 50 tourists were on or around the volcano crater.
Eighteen survivors were evacuated - some suffering severe burns - leaving an estimated 27 people unaccounted for.
Australians were among the visitors on Whakaari from a nearby cruise ship, the Ovation of the Seas, which originated in Sydney. The vessel, which has 4579 passengers and 1595 crew on board, is docked in Tauranga, 90 kilometres from White Island.
Kasey Bebrouth, who lives in Ipswich, Queensland, wrote on Facebook she was safe on the cruise ship after choosing not to tour the island.
'Okay so me and Marty are on the Ovation of the Seas and yes people have been hurt,' she wrote.
'The boat is staying overnight. At this point we are OK but very grateful that we stayed on the ship.
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