The first victim of the White Island volcano eruption has reportedly been named as New Zealand tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, with two British women also confirmed to be in hospital.

The prime minister of New Zealand confirmed that five people had died following the huge eruption in New Zealand at 2.11pm local time.

Jacinda Ardern also reported eight people still missing after the volcano erupted in New Zealand in a press conference.

Hayden, who lived in Whakatane, New Zealand, was named by his brother on Facebook, who wrote: ‘My bro Hayden Marshall-Inman has past [sic] away doing the one thing he loved.

‘Thanks for all your messages. I’ll be in touch when we know more.’

Friends and family have posted tributes to the young man, who was an experienced guide for White Island Tours.

Tony Bonne, the former mayor of Whakatāne, where Mr Marshall-Inman was from, described him as ‘a young energetic man’, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Others said he had the ‘kindest heart’ and was someone who would help pay for strangers’ groceries.

One person called him ‘an absolute spectacular human’.

The huge eruption on White Island New Zealand, struck just after 2pm, leaving dozens of tourists with severe burns.

Thirty-four people out of the 47 on the island are confirmed to have survived, with 31 still receiving treatment in hospital.

The UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, Laura Clarke, said in a tweet on Monday night: ‘We are supporting the family of two British women who have been hospitalised in New Zealand.

‘My team are deploying to offer assistance in person and we remain in close contact with New Zealand authorities.’

Among those listed as missing or injured were Australian, US, Chinese, Malaysian and New Zealand citizens.

The prime minister said: ‘It is now clear that there were two groups on the Island; those who were able to be evacuated, and those who were close to the eruption’.

Ms Ardern praised the courage of helicopter pilots who flew into the erupting White Island volcano to rescue survivors.

She added that they put themselves into extraordinarily dangerous positions to save people’s lives.

The Prime Minister said: ‘To those who have lost or are missing family and friends, we share in your unfathomable grief at this moment in time and in your sorrow.

‘Your loved ones stood alongside Kiwis who are hosting you here and we grieve with you and we grieve with them.’

Angela Sutherland, general manager of disaster risk management at the New Zealand Red Cross, urged anyone worried about friends or family to ‘first contact them as you normally would’.

She said: ‘Using your own channels can help to speed up the process and helps response agencies as well.

‘If you cannot make contact, please register them through our Family Links website.’

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