Aussie loved ones face anxious wait
A 21-YEAR-OLD Melbourne animal lover fresh out of veterinary school. A family of four from Sydney, an Adelaide family and a mother and daughter from Brisbane.
These are just a few of whom Prime Minister Scott Morrison was talking about when he warned the nation yesterday to be prepared for more bad news as a result of the tragedy.
They are on a list of the missing, grievously injured and maybe dead being held by the Red Cross, with some desperate families unable to locate or make contact with them.
Officially the New Zealand government said yesterday there were eight missing presumed dead on White Island.
Suspected locations of the dead have been marked from the air, but the bodies remain unrecoverable.
But some Australian families still do not know if their loved ones were claimed by the eruption or are lying in hospital, unable to communicate.
Families in every other country affected are in the same traumatic position, as desperate attempts to confirm identities are being co-ordinated out of a cafeteria in the Whakatane Regional Council chambers.
Krystal Browitt, from Melbourne, studied a Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing after finishing school in Melbourne’s north. The 21-year-old Collingwood supporter posted pictures of her dog, horses and happy snaps of her school days on Facebook.
Relatives of the Langford family have confirmed they haven’t heard anything from father Anthony, wife Kristine and children Jesse, 19, and 17year-old Winona since the eruption.
The Sydney family were visiting the island as part of a cruise ship tour when the volcano blew.
Jesse Langford’s former school, Marist College North
Shore, sent an email to parents confirming the family was missing.
“Jesse, who graduated last year was a talented and popular student during his time at the school, finishing up as MacKillop House captain,” school principal Tony Duncan said.
In Adelaide, the family of lawyer Gavin Dallow, 53, his partner Lisa Hosking, 48, and 15-year-old daughter Zoe
Hosking asked those who knew them to also keep them in their prayers.
Last night it was confirmed that Ms Hosking, originally from Melbourne, was in a hospital in the city of Hamilton with severe burns, but there was still no news of her partner or daughter.
Mr Dallow’s father Brian, also from Adelaide, confirmed the trio set off on a day trip to White Island on Monday.
“I’m wrecked … we had the phone with us all last night,” he said yesterday.
Brisbane mother and daughter Julie and Jessica Richards, aged 47 and 20, were listed as missing by Jessica’s father, Tony Richards.
The pair, from Calamvale, had been enjoying a holiday together on the Ovation of the Sea cruise ship, Julie’s sister Barbara Whitehead said.
Then there is Richard Elzer, 32, and Karla Mathews, 32, of Coffs Harbour in NSW, listed as missing.
Last night more Australian consular staff were being dispatched to Whakatane to help, as were additional Sydney staff from cruise ship company Royal Caribbean, who will trawl the passenger list, which has more than 4000 names.