Police have begun a criminal investigation into the deaths to determine if any blame should be laid.  In the same article it gives some details into the injuries suffered by those rescued, and the nationalities of those on the island:

 

"He said of those who were injured, 27 of the 31 have suffered greater than 30 percent total body surface area burns - the standard criteria for admission to the national burns unit at Middlemore Hospital. 

"Many have inhalation burns that require airway support... The injured patients are aged between 30 and 72 and most are visitors to New Zealand."

The nationalities of the 47 people on the island at the time of the eruption were announced on Tuesday. 

Two were from the UK, four from Germany, 24 from Australia, five from New Zealand, two from China, one from Malaysia, and nine people from the United States".

 

 https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/police-launch-criminal-investigation-into-white-island-deaths/ar-BBY0WA3?ocid=spartanntp

15 hours ago, orchis said:

5 dead and 20 missing mostly passengers from a Royal Carribean ship on excursion,
what was that company thinking to organise this.

It’s a day trip that people thoroughly enjoy. It’s being able to stand right beside an active volcano. Our eldest daughter went there on a school trip seven years ago and for a non outdoors person loved it. The company running the charters has been doing so for thirty years and the activity Rating level of 2 as is was on Monday is not abnormal over that time. 
 

1 hour ago, Roadman said:

It’s a day trip that people thoroughly enjoy. It’s being able to stand right beside an active volcano. Our eldest daughter went there on a school trip seven years ago and for a non outdoors person loved it. The company running the charters has been doing so for thirty years and the activity Rating level of 2 as is was on Monday is not abnormal over that time. 
 

sure.