Tearful passengers have returned to Sydney in a sombre mood after the deadly White Island volcano eruption that took the lives of some of their fellow travellers during a cruise around New Zealand.
The Ovation of the Seas, which had taken holidaymakers to visit White Island before the eruption, returned to Sydney Harbour on Monday morning after 12 days at sea.
Some 47 people, including 24 Australian citizens and four permanent residents, were on the island when the volcano erupted a week ago on Monday.
Two deaths on the weekend brought the total official toll from the eruption to 16. Eleven of those victims were Australian citizens or residents.
Some people were visibly upset as they disembarked, with one passenger called Joanne becoming tearful as she talked to reporters at Circular Quay about the passengers who didn't come home.
"They're people, people that went on my holiday of a lifetime that I've waited 50 years for and they never got to come home ... dreadful."
She told how she had been upset seeing suitcases being removed from the ship.
"(It) just broke my heart," she said.
Another passenger said the people on the ship were left in the dark as the tragedy unfolded.
"I've got a son that's 17 who lost two friends that he made. We didn't know how many people were missing," he told reporters after disembarking.
Others praised the ship's crew for their handling of the situation.
A Royal Caribbean spokeswoman thanked the ship's passengers for their understanding.
"As Ovation of the Seas returns to Sydney today, our thoughts remain with those affected and we will continue to provide ongoing support and services to them and their families during this difficult time," she said in a statement.
"We would like to thank all the first responders and medical personnel. We also thank the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand and their teams, the local authorities and everyone who has reached out to help with their kind words of support."
While total official toll stands at 16, while two bodies remain unaccounted for. They are believed to be in the waters around White Island, also known as Whakaari.
Of the dead, 11 have been confirmed as Australian citizens or permanent residents.
The four confirmed by NZ Police on Monday are 20-year-old Jessica Richards from Brisbane, Coffs Harbour man Jason Griffiths, 33, and Kristine Langford, 45, and Martin Hollander, 48, who are both from Sydney.
These add to the seven named on Sunday - Adelaide schoolgirl Zoe Hosking, 15, her stepfather Gavin Dallow, 53, Karla Mathews, 32, and Sydney man Anthony Langford, 51.
Mr Hollander's sons Matthew, 13, and Berend, 16, who were US citizens, were also confirmed dead.
An Australian man, whose family asked that he not be named, died in a Sydney hospital on Sunday.
Another 12 people are being treated in Australian hospitals after being repatriated with severe burns.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne is flying to New Zealand on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The cruise ship had left Sydney for New Zealand on December 4.
