New Zealander dies saving wife from tsunami

Craig Baxter, pictured with his wife, Maliwan, in May last year, spurned the chance to run and save himself.

Craig Baxter, the second New Zealander confirmed killed in the Boxing Day tsunami, died "a hero, an absolute hero", says his mother, Sandra Sweeney.

Mr Baxter and his wife were spending Christmas at a beachfront bungalow on Phi Phi island in Thailand when the tsunami struck.

Paul Morton, a close friend, said when the waves came Mr Baxter sprinted from the sand towards his bungalow calling to his 28-year-old wife, Maliwan.

"He was screaming for her to get to safety, but he did not make it. The water just took him," said Mr Morton.

Ms Sweeney told the Herald last night that Mrs Baxter had told her "Craig had come flying up from the beach and lifted her on to the roof for safety because she couldn't swim, but then he was taken by the swell.

"She is devastated, saying that Craig would be alive if he had not stopped to save her."

Mrs Baxter survived with cuts and bruises and the unborn child was unhurt. When Mr Baxter last spoke to his mother a few weeks ago, he had just seen the first scans of his unborn child.

Ms Sweeney, who lives on the Gold Coast in Australia, said her only son had a huge heart and she was not surprised to learn he had died saving his wife.

"He really loved that girl. They were made for each other. Out of the tragedy of the whole thing it is good to know there are some courageous stories out there."

Mr Baxter was born in Auckland but spent most of his life in Australia before moving to Thailand 18 months ago.

He had previously been there on holiday where he met Maliwan. The couple married last March in her home town of Bun Phu near the Thai-Laos border and Mr Baxter began working for a finance company in Bangkok.

Speaking from Pattaya, Thailand, last night, Mr Morton, who had known Mr Baxter two years, said: "He was the type of guy that if you were his mate, you were his blood.

"If you needed help in any way he was there. He would look after anyone in his life."

Mr Baxter's body has been taken to Pattaya and a Buddhist funeral service will be held for him on Wednesday. Ms Sweeney said a memorial ceremony would be held on the Gold Coast on January 21.

There are now understood to be 18 New Zealanders missing, who were in the worst-hit areas on Boxing Day. Among that number are Belinda and Andrew Welch, but Mrs Welch's father, John Croft, believes it is unlikely they will be found alive.

A further 252 are unaccounted for and thought to have been somewhere in Thailand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is desperate for people to get in touch and let family know they are safe after two who were feared missing contacted New Zealand.

Auckland woman Antoinette Sweetman sent an email on Saturday to say she had arrived safely in Cambodia. Ms Sweetman, who was backpacking with partner Gary Turner, indicated she was unaware of the full extent of the disaster.

Tracey Creighton, from Dunedin, was also celebrating yesterday after waiting for a week for news of her husband, Clive, on holiday in Thailand with Christchurch friend Rodney Kirk.

"I don't know if he was closer to the coast at the time, but he is alive and well ... ," Mrs Creighton said. "It's absolutely a relief. I feel like I can have my New Year's now," she said. "The kids are very happy."

Mr Creighton is due back in Dunedin on Saturday.

Tsunami update

Death toll: Nearly 127,000

Predicted toll: More than 150,000

New Zealand deaths: Two confirmed, two more suspected.

International aid: Almost US$2 billion

NZ TOLL

Confirmed dead
Baxter, Craig
Cosens, Leone

Presumed dead
Welch, Belinda, 26, and Australian husband Andrew Welch

In hospital
Bishop, Edward
Boyack, Jeremiah
Evett, Courtney
Lewis Evans, Jessie, 23
Martin, Susannah
Martin, Vanessa
Osman, Toni
Smith, Mark, 28