The Malaysian High Commission in Wellington said in a Facebook post today that it had been informed of the matter by the New Zealand authorities.

When contacted by Bernama, a spokesman said they were in the process of gathering information on the victim.

“The commission is having a meeting right now regarding the matter and for the time being we cannot disclose any particulars,” she said.

The volcanic eruption occurred on White Island, also known as Whakaari, 48km from the North Island of New Zealand, shooting a huge plume of ash and steam into the air as a group of tourists were visiting the island. Eight people are unaccounted for. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.

Meanwhile, a spokesman at Wisma Putra said the ministry is liaising with the High Commission in Wellington and local authorities there to obtain the victim’s details.

“We are working on the details, like which hospital the victim was sent to… I don’t have the information as of now, but once we have all the information, we will release the details,” he told Bernama.

The commission also advised Malaysians travelling near the region to exercise caution and to follow the advice issued by local authorities.

“Those who require consular assistance may contact the High Commission via telephone +64-43852439 / +64-210440188 (after hours) or email [email protected],” it said in its Facebook post.