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 WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A young conservation worker who was checking a volcano's crater lake when it unexpectedly burst to life, spewing mounds of ash and soot, most likely died in the eruption in the remote nature reserve, a conservation official said Saturday.
The eruption in one of Raoul Island's three main craters — the first there since 1964 — threw rocks and boulders into the air and buried the area around the lake in mud and ash up to 16 feet deep.
A rescue team was expected to set sail from New Zealand on Sunday to inspect the remote island and assess prospects for recovering the missing worker, who was part of a small team monitoring the nature reserve. By opting for a three-day sea trip, rather than flying, officials virtually ruled out finding the worker alive.
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