New Zealand police say army troops will recover bodies from White Island – where a volcanic eruption killed at least eight people – on Friday morning.

The recovery mission would go ahead despite the risk of another eruption, police said.

“Today is less safe than yesterday, and the day before that,” volcanologist Dr Graham Leonard said.

At least eight people are thought to be on the island following the eruption on Monday. All are presumed dead.

Police said they were planning a “high-speed recovery” of the bodies.

Eight others have already been confirmed dead, and 20 are in intensive care after suffering burns when the volcano erupted as tourists were visiting.