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Home / New Zealand

White Island eruption: Families and children among more than 20 missing Australians

NZ Herald
9 Dec, 2019 07:23 PM3 mins to read

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Five have been confirmed dead and there are fears for up to 24 others after White Island volcano erupted on Monday. Video / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust / Michael Schade / Facebook / Lillani Hopkins / Instagram

More than 20 Australians including a recently married couple and a family of four are still listed as missing on a Red Cross list after the deadly eruption on Whakaari/White Island.

Five people are confirmed dead and eight more are missing, presumed dead after yesterday's eruption.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said those feared dead were from New Zealand, Australia, Britain, the United States, China and Malaysia.

Police say there are no further signs of life on the island, following flyovers late on Monday.

Many of the victims are foreign tourists, some from Australia and the UK, from a visiting cruise ship, the Ovation of the Seas.

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READ MORE:
• White Island erupts: Why were tourists allowed on unsettled island?
• White Island volcano erupts in Bay of Plenty: 'No signs of life' - 5 dead, fears for up to 30 others
• White Island erupts: Dramatic moment Whakaari/White Island volcano erupts
• White Island volcano erupts: 'A young energetic man who's lost his life' - Experienced tour guide among those killed at White Island explosion

Worried family have been listing their relatives on the Red Cross's Restoring Family Links website, which allows people to confirm their condition.

The list is not an official missing persons list and the list now contains more than 80 names, well above the number believed to have been on the island.

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Among the Australians listed are North Sydney family-of-four, Anthony, 51, and Kristine Langford, and their two teenage children Jesse, 19, and Winona, 17, the Daily Mail reports.

Anthony and Kristine Langford have been listed alongside their teenage children. Photo / Facebook
Anthony and Kristine Langford have been listed alongside their teenage children. Photo / Facebook
Siblings Jesse Langford, 19, and Winona Langford, 17, were believed to be on holiday with their family. Photo / Facebook
Siblings Jesse Langford, 19, and Winona Langford, 17, were believed to be on holiday with their family. Photo / Facebook

Young couple James, 23, and Madeleine Whitehouse, 24, who married last year, were also listed amongst the missing but have since been reported as safe.

 James, 23, and Madeleine Whitehouse, 24, from Brisbane, have been confirmed as safe. Photo / Supplied
James, 23, and Madeleine Whitehouse, 24, from Brisbane, have been confirmed as safe. Photo / Supplied

Others on the missing list include Amy Miall, 30, from Brisbane, and her partner Mathew Thomas, 31, from Tamsworth, Richard Aaron Elzer, 32, and Jason Griffiths, 33, from Coffs Harbour, and Jane Murray, 56, from Sydney.

Amy Miall's father announced on social media today that his daughter was safe.

Discover more

New Zealand

White Island eruption: Worried family members register missing loved ones

09 Dec 07:55 AM
New Zealand

'Energetic with the kindest heart': Tour guide among White Island dead

09 Dec 03:25 PM
New Zealand

White Island: What you need to know

09 Dec 04:00 PM
New Zealand

The alert level was raised. So why were tourists allowed on volcano?

09 Dec 09:30 PM

"We have been in touch with the embassy and the cruiseline and she is NOT missing and was not on the island when it erupted," he wrote.

"We assume she along with 4000 others on the cruise are trying to contact relatives and our thoughts are with the missing and their families."

Jason Griffiths from Coffs Harbour has been listed as missing as of early today. Photo / Facebook
Jason Griffiths from Coffs Harbour has been listed as missing as of early today. Photo / Facebook

The site also lists a 12-year-old boy from Western Australia and a 7-year-old, the youngest person missing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that Australians needed to "prepare for some difficult news in the days ahead".

In a statement released early on Tuesday, police said there are "no signs of life" on White Island and they believe anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of Monday's evacuation.

"The police Eagle helicopter, rescue helicopter, and NZDF aircraft have undertaken a number of aerial reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption," police said in a statement early Tuesday.

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"No signs of life have been seen at any point.

"Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation.

"Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island."

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