Authorities scrambling to search for survivors after a volcanic island in New Zealand erupted said Monday that aerial searches have revealed “no signs of life” since the eruption.

The New Zealand police said in a press release early Tuesday morning local time that at least five people died and eight are missing when the eruption took place Monday afternoon on White Island. White Island sits about 30 miles offshore from mainland New Zealand and experts say it’s the country’s most active cone volcano, with about 70 percent of the volcano lying under the sea.

“Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation,” police stated. “Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island.”

Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said at a news conference there were 47 people on the island when it erupted and that eight remain missing.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters that 31 people were in seven hospitals, including some in critical condition, while three had been discharged overnight. Arden said the victims include people from New Zealand, Australia, the U.K., the U.S., China and Malaysia.

“We share in your unfathomable grief in this moment and time,” Ardern said. “For now, our duty is to return loved ones.”

Victims are being treated at hospital burn units throughout the country, according to officials, who added that no additional victims have died since the initial blast on Monday, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Marr was transported to the nearby Methodist Hospital, where doctors said he had probably suffered a stroke, World-Herald reported.

However, Marr’s condition worsened rapidly with swelling of the brain. He had to be placed on the vital support, said the media.

The next day the doctors looked at the condition of the former basketball announcer, but that does not look attractive. Doctors did not expect him to survive.

It was at this point that the four children of Marr had to make a difficult decision.

After meeting in his hospital room to say goodbye, the family decided to remove the life support off the 61-year-old according to the World-Herald.

The family had planned to prepare for a funeral the next day.

However, something miraculous happened. Rather than disappearing as expected, Marr began to react. Slowly, he was able to smile and move his hands and toes, the report said.

According to Inside Edition, her daughter Preston had to rub her eyes to make sure everything was real.