Aussie Death Toll at NZ Volcano Stands at 14

AAP
By AAP
December 12, 2019Australia
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Aussie Death Toll at NZ Volcano Stands at 14
An injured tourist in the volcano eruption is carried to an Australian Air Force plane in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Dec. 12, 2019.(Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP)

The true Australian toll of New Zealand’s volcanic eruption is beginning to reveal itself, with 14 citizens and residents apparently dead, he latest official update suggests.

That’s half of the 28 Australian citizens and residents who were caught in the massive explosion that rocked White Island in New Zealand five days ago.

Six of the 14 are believed to have perished in the heat, ash and toxic gases that enveloped the island. Their bodies were recovered in a high-risk mission on Friday morning.

New Zealand police believe 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.

Other Australians lost their fight for life in New Zealand’s 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.

Foreign Minister Marise 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.

“My officials are advising me that 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 told reporters on Friday.

“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.”

She confirmed the six bodies were all expected to be formally identified as Australians, with one of the six believed to be a permanent resident.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said 11 citizens are dead or missing, presumed dead, and three permanent residents are dead or missing, presumed dead.

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.

Senator Payne said some grieving relatives had attended a small blessing service near White Island on Friday morning, as the dramatic and risky search for bodies played out.

“I hope, to some extent, that has provided them with some small amount of solace in these extraordinary times.”

Of the 28 Australians caught up in the surprise explosion on Monday, 11 confirmed dead or presumed dead or missing were citizens, and another three confirmed dead or presumed dead or missing were permanent residents.

Most of the injured survivors have been transferred home to Australian hospitals to recover from their injuries.

By Tracey Ferrier

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