Volcano Aussies’ bodies claimed

UP TO 15 Australian citizens and residents appear to have died from Monday’s volcanic eruption in New Zealand as six bodies have been retrieved from the ash-covered White Island.

Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne said she expected all six bodies taken from the island in a high-risk mission yesterday would be identified as Australians, although New Zealand police have said it is too early to tell.

It is believed those bodies belong to Brisbane woman Julie Richards and her uni student daughter Jessica, Coffs Harbour couple Richard Elzer and Karla Matthews, Melbourne woman Krystal Browitt and Adelaide schoolgirl Zoe Hosking, 15.

New Zealand defence personnel will continue their mission to retrieve two more bodies, believed to be Kiwi tour guides, which they couldn’t find yesterday.

While those eight victims perished in the heat, ash and toxic gases that enveloped the island following Monday’s eruption, three other Australians lost their fight for life in New Zealand hospitals.

Most of those who survived are now back home under the care of Australian specialists but their battle is not over, with many still listed as critical. Eleven have been transferred to hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne. At least two more survivors are expected to be flown home within 24 hours, while one will remain in hospital in New Zealand.

Senator Payne has given a sense of the darkness families are experiencing as they wait for the formal identification of the dead, and come to terms with the horrible nature of survivors’ injuries.

“This is a time of absolute desperation and distress and to every single one of those families and their friends and their loved ones our hearts go out at this extraordinarily difficult time,” she said yesterday.

“It is almost inconceivable to try to imagine how they are dealing with such catastrophic injuries for those whose loved ones have survived this event.”

Australian Federal Police have gone to New Zealand to aid the formal identification of victims. In the days ahead, Australia will have to contend with the return of bodies.

Some relatives attended a blessing service near White Island yesterday morning, as the search for bodies played out.

Ten Australians have been confirmed dead or presumed dead, while fears are held for five more.

IT IS ALMOST INCONCEIVABLE TO TRY TO IMAGINE HOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH SUCH CATASTROPHIC INJURIES. MARISE PAYNE