Families of British tourists are searching for information about their loved ones feared to have been caught up in a volcanic eruption that is believed to have killed 13 people.

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, confirmed that British citizens were among the missing and injured after the volcano on White Island spewed a large plume of ash and steam 12,000 feet (3,660 metres) into the air on Monday.

There were 47 people exploring the country's most active volcano at the time of the eruption. Five have been confirmed dead and eight are still missing feared dead, the police confirmed.

A number of reconnaissance flights have flown over the island and “no signs of life have been seen at any point”, Ms Ardern told a press conference.

She praised the “courageous decision” made by the first responders to go out in “extraordinarily dangerous circumstance” in order to rescue a group of tourists.

But she said that it was now clear that there had been two groups on the island, those who were rescued and a second group closer to the explosion.