Alexis Still's family pay tribute

The bodies of former Rotorua woman Alexis Still, 19, and her boyfriend Johannes Jordaan, known as Chrisjan, 21, have been returned to their families.

The pair, two of the 11 victims of Saturday's fatal hot air balloon crash near Carterton have been returned after being formally identified at a hearing before Coroner Peter Ryan in Wellington yesterday.

A scene examination at the site of the accident is continuing.

Ms Still's family last night released this statement:

Alexis is the beautiful daughter of Allan and Vivienne and younger sister of Emma-Jane and Ben. She was born in Dunedin, raised in Rotorua and has been a resident of Wellington for the last four years. She attended Lynmore Primary School and Mokoia Intermediate. She boarded at Iona College for two years before completing her high school education at both Rotorua Lakes High School and Onslow College in Johnsonville.

Since leaving school, Alexis took a gap year, travelling to Rarotonga, Mozambique and Malawi.

In Africa, Alexis developed a strong sense of wanting to help those in need. This encouraged her to enrol in a Bachelor of Nursing degree at the Wellington campus of Massey University. She had completed one year at Massey and intended to nurse in Africa and write about her experiences.

Our daughter influenced people and moved them along in their life journey - moving them away from bad decisions and choices. She was always very supportive of her family and friends.

Alexis was highly creative, teaching drama was also one of her passions.

'She was inspirational in so many ways. She was a passionate and humble soul with mighty aspirations and a wicked sense of humour. She was courageous, exceptionally talented and wise beyond her years.

As a daughter, sister and friend, Alexis was genuine, uplifting and insightful. To everyone she met, she radiated beauty and love. She is irreplaceable and will be forever missed.'