Quake orphans’ heartbreaking journey home

Brother and sister’s parents & friend among 290 victims

THE traumatised children of a UK couple killed in the Italian earthquake flew home yesterday.

Orphans Jack and Francesca HennikerGotley, 14 and 15, arrived back in Britain after parents Maria, 51, and William, 55, were crushed to death in their villa.

The youngsters, of Stockwell, South London, are being comforted by relatives.

Their friend Marcos Burnett, 14, was also killed when the villa both families were staying in was reduced to rubble as the quake destroyed entire towns across central Italy, leaving 290 dead.

He and his parents Anne-Louise and Simon had been invited on a family holiday by the Henniker-Gotley’s who were their friends and UK neighbours.

Grief-stricken Mr and Mrs Burnett were last night being treated for their injuries in an Italian hospital ward.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “They are aware of all the love and affection coming from the UK concerning them but are not ready to relive the terrible events by talking about them for now.

“They are together in the ward and want to remain alone for the moment.”

The couple are among 388 injured quake victims – 40 of them critical – being treated in hospitals. Up to 20 people remain unaccounted for. Nine more bodies were recovered yesterday – but the search for survivors was drawing to a close last night.

Rescuers said it would take a “miracle” for anyone to be pulled out alive now.

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella travelled to the ruins of Amatrice yesterday, a day of national mourning, before attending a mass funeral for 35 victims from the ravaged town of Arquate.

Further funerals will be held in coming days – including at the capital Rome, where almost 50 of the dead came from.

So far 181 of those killed have been named. The quake victims’ ages range from five months old to 93.