Authorities returned to the island despite threats of fresh eruptions on what is New Zealand’s most active volcano.
Further aerial searches will take place in an effort to recover the two bodies that remain on the island.
The eruption which occurred on Monday afternoon has so far claimed the lives of 16 victims.
Dozens remain in hospital with a range of injuries, and there are fears some may not survive after suffering burns to large parts of their bodies.
47 people were on the island when the volcano first erupted at 2.11pm on Monday afternoon.
38 of them were from cruise ship Ovation of the Seas, which had been travelling around New Zealand after departing from Sydney.
Many of the victims are tourists from Australia, China, Malaysia, the UK, the US and New Zealand.
