Six bodies have been recovered from New Zealand’s White Island following the volcanic eruption that has left at least 16 people dead.

Eight military specialists wearing protective clothing and using breathing apparatuses were flown to the island on Friday morning to begin the retrieval operation, despite the threat of further volcanic activity.

Although the rescue team successfully recovered six bodies, which had been located the night before by drones, the search will continue on Saturday for two others.

Authorities said one of those bodies was known to be in the water off the island, but was unable to be retrieved by divers. The whereabouts of the second body has yet to be established.

“The operation was not without risk but thanks to sound planning and the skills of the specialist team involved we have recovered the six bodies,” New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said in a statement.

New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Show all 20 1 /20 New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Smoke from the volcanic eruption of Whakaari, also known as White Island. New Zealand police said the blast had left five people dead, but that number will now rise to include those people who were still on the island when it erupted allessandrokauffmann via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Emergency services attend to an injured person TVNZ via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Thick smoke from the volcanic eruption SCH via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos The volcano on New Zealand's White Island spewing steam and ash moments after it erupted Michael Schade/AFP via Getty New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos White Island Tour operators rescuing people minutes after the volcano erupted Michael Schade/AFP via Getty New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Thick smoke from the volcanic eruption from a distance of a vessel SCH via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos An aerial photo shows White Island after its volcanic eruption New Zealand Herald via AP New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos An aerial view shows smoke bellowing above the crater of Whakaari GNS Science via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Emergency services attend to an injured person arriving at the Whakatane Airfield New Zealand Herald via AP New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos This handout photograph courtesy of Michael Schade shows the volcano on New Zealand's White Island spewing steam and ash minutes following an eruption on December 9, 2019. - New Zealand police said at least one person was killed and more fatalities were likely, after an island volcano popular with tourists erupted on December 9 leaving dozens stranded. (Photo by Handout / Michael Schade / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL SCHADE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == NO ARCHIVE (Photo by HANDOUT/Michael Schade/AFP via Getty Images) HANDOUT Michael Schade/AFP via Getty New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos A wreckage of a helicopter amid ash minutes after the volcano on New Zealand's White Island erupted Michael Schade/AFP via Getty New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos SCH via Reuters SCH via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos This image released by GNS Science, shows plumes of smoke from a volcanic eruption on White Island, seen from Whakatane, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. A volcano erupted Monday on a small New Zealand island frequented by tourists, and a number of people were missing and injured after the eruption. (GNS Science via AP) GNS Science via AP New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos An aerial view shows smoke bellowing above the crater of Whakaari, also known as White Island, volcano as it erupts in New Zealand, December 9, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. GNS Science via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. WATERMARKS AT SOURCE. GNS SCIENCE GNS Science via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos epa08056782 A handout photo made available by the New Zealand Police shows White Island (Whakaari) volcano, as it erupts, in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, 09 December 2019. According to police, at least five people have died in the volcanic erruption at around 2:11 pm local time on 09 December. The island is located around 40km offshore of the Bay of Plenty. EPA/NEW ZEALAND POLICE HANDOUT BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE MANDATORY CREDIT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES NEW ZEALAND POLICE HANDOUT EPA New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos An aerial view shows hikers walking on the crater rim of Whakaari, also known as White Island, shortly before the volcano erupted GNS Science via Reuters New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos Emergency services at Whakatane Airport Getty Images New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos A rescue helicopter arrving at the airport Getty Images New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos White Island (Whakaari) volcano, as it erupts Michael Schade/EPA New Zealand volcano: Eruption in photos White Island (Whakaari) volcano, shortly before erupting Michael Schade/EPA

“The environment the recovery team faced today was highly unpredictable and challenging. They showed absolute courage and commitment to ensure we can offer some closure to the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones.”

Police said the recovered bodies were transferred via helicopter to a navy ship, the HMNZS Wellington, and would be taken to nearby Auckland.

Initial attempts to recover those killed in Monday’s eruption were delayed by “highly volatile” volcanic activity that prevented rescue services returning to the island.

But after police confirmed conditions were stable enough to allow the retrieval operation to proceed, a traditional blessing was held at sea with family members of the victims, as two New Zealand defence force helicopters took off from the nearby coastal town Whakatane.

Police, military and other personnel monitored the recovery operation from a ship stationed just off the island, while volcanologists used electronic equipment to provide the rescue team with real-time information on the volcano’s behaviour.

Deputy commissioner Mike Clement said the ground operation was taking longer than expected due to the weight of protective equipment, which helps keep the rescuers safe from the island’s potentially fatal toxic and corrosive gases.

A total of 47 people were on White Island, which lies 30 miles off New Zealand’s eastern coast, when the eruption occurred on Monday. This number included 24 Australians, nine Americans, five New Zealanders, four Germans, two Britons – both of whom have been admitted to hospital – two Chinese and a Malaysian, authorities said.

New Zealand medical staff have been working around the clock to treat the injured survivors in hospital burns units across the country, and are set to be joined by specialist medical teams from Australia, Britain and the US.

Dr Peter Watson from Middlemore Hospital, where the country’s National Burns Unit is based, said earlier this week that authorities have ordered 1.2 million sq cm of skin from America to treat patients, with some suffering from burns that have affected 95 per cent of their bodies.

Those currently being treated were exposed to superheated gas made up of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen chloride, burning their lungs and skin in the process. Australian volcanologist Raymond Cas added that large rocks would also have been hurtled through the air by the eruption at “supersonic speeds”.

Volcano erupts on New Zealand's White Island

Monitoring agency GeoNet said on Thursday local time that the White Island’s volcanic alert had been lowered to level two after it was briefly raised to four on Monday.

However, another eruption still remains a possibility, the agency said, noting volcanic tremors are rising while steam and mud are being vented regularly.

White Island is the tip of a mostly underwater volcano close to New Zealand’s North Island and has been a popular attraction visited by thousands of tourists each year.