An inquest heard on Friday of lifelong injuries and years of grief from survivors and family members of those who died in a massive volcanic eruption on New Zealand's northern island in 2019.

Around 47 people were on White Island, also known in Maori language as Whakaari, in December 2019 when a deadly column of burning ash and steam blasted from a volcanic vent.

Twenty-two people died and nearly all the survivors were left with horrific burns.

The eruption off the coast of the country's North Island prompted a massive medical operation that saw many victims treated in burns units in Australia and New Zealand.

Since then, no boat or aircraft tours have been allowed to land on the island.

Almost six years on, an inquest is seeking to assess the emergency response that day -- as well as

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