Melbourne woman missing in New Zealand volcano eruption
Classmates of Melbourne vet student Krystal Browitt are “heartbroken” for their animal-loving mate, who remains missing after the fatal New Zealand volcano blast that split her family apart. The tributes come as her father was flown from New Zealand to a Melbourne hospital.
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A Melbourne woman missing after New Zealand’s deadly volcano blast was celebrating her 21st birthday on a cruise with her family when disaster struck.
Krystal Browitt turned 21 on November 29, less than a week before her family boarded the Ovation of the Seas cruise.
The Herald Sun can confirm Ms Browitt’s father, Paul Browitt, was transferred to the Alfred Hospital this morning in a stable but serious condition.
His daughter Stephanie remains in a New Zealand hospital while his youngest daughter Krystal is still missing.
Mr Browitt has worked for the Victorian government for 30 years.
Ms Browitt’s mother, Marie, escaped the tragedy unharmed, having opted not to tour White Island and instead remained on the cruise liner.
Fellow vet nursing student Natalie Cirillo told the Herald Sun Krystal’s classmates were “absolutely heartbroken”.
“She is an amazing friend,” Ms Cirillo said. “She is extremely passionate about her studies, loving all animals.”
Friend Angelo Frattasio said Krystal “always had a smile on her face”.
“She’s an amazing person,” he said.
Mr Frattasio said the Browitts were a “very close family that did everything together”.
“She (Krystal) was very excited to go on the cruise and excited to relax,” he said.
Mr Browitt’s colleagues at the State Revenue Office have been receiving support in the wake of the volcano disaster and Commissioner Paul Broderick said “it has been an incredibly sad week”.
“It’s unfortunate that one of our staff members, Paul Browitt, and his family were affected by the volcanic eruption in New Zealand,” he said.
“We have passed on our thoughts and prayers to Paul’s wife, friends and family. We are all thinking of them during this tragedy.
“Counselling has been arranged for staff and their family members to help them through this tragedy. Further updates will be provided to staff as new information becomes available.”
Treasurer Tim Pallas said it was a tragedy “and we will ensure the best care and support for all those affected”.
The Herald Sun understands that Stephanie Browitt, 23, is an aspiring actor who has studied at Howard Fine Acting Studio.
She is also listed on a talent website as having studied a Bachelor of the Creative Arts at Australian Catholic University, and has previously performed speaking roles.
She also works at Craigieburn’s Target stores.
“The team at Target are saddened by the recent volcanic eruption on White Island in New Zealand and all our love and strength goes out to team member Stephanie and her family who right now are facing the biggest challenge of their lives,” Target said in a statement.
“We will do all we can to support Stephanie and her family along with her fellow Target store teammates.”
The Browitts’ neighbour, Supreetha Konda, said that they were “beautiful” people.
“I can’t imagine what Marie is going through all alone,” she told Channel 7.
Another friend told the Herald Sun they had been “crying for days”.
“Everyone is devastated, lost and confused about how and why this could happen,” the family friend said.
“They are humble, deserving, kind. Everyone who is friends with them adores them.”
Of Krystal, the friend said: “You hold out hope because that is all you have”.
Both Krystal and Stephanie Browitt graduated from Kolbe Catholic College in Greenvale.
Principal Nick Scully said, like all Australians, he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries caused by the White Island volcano eruption”.
“I remain hopeful that Krystal Browitt and the other people currently listed as missing may still be reunited with families and loved ones,” he said.
“A 2016 graduate, Krystal is a much-loved member of the Kolbe community that her teachers describe as a beautiful soul.’
“Stephanie Browitt, Krystal’s sister and a 2014 graduate, has also been affected by the eruption and we pray for the recovery of her health.’
“All of the families affected by this tragedy are in our thoughts and prayers and we offer our deepest condolences to everyone mourning the loss of those who have died.”
Back in 2011 Marie Browitt posted on Facebook to mark her “precious sweet darling” daughter’s 13th birthday, saying Krystal had “a tremendous future” ahead.
Ms Browitt’s boyfriend, Daniel Czimmermann, has rushed to New Zealand to join the family in the wake of the tragedy.
Other friends devastated by the news have rallied to support the Browitt family and launched an online fundraiser.
— Donate to the fundraiser here
A GoFundMe page created for the family only 14 hours ago already raised more than $24,000 as of lunchtime Thursday.
One wrote: “Thinking of our workmate Paul and his family. Wishing strength and love in this difficult time”.
A friend said she was “lost for words”, while another said the family was in her thoughts and prayers.
Ms Browitt’s colleagues at Craigieburn’s Woolworths store were also “shaken”, and were on Thursday offered counselling.
“Our thoughts are with our team member and her loved ones at this difficult time,” a Woolworths spokeswoman said.
“We’ve made contact with her family and offered to assist in any way we can.
“We’re also offering our support to her colleagues in Craigieburn, who are understandably shaken by the news.”
A woman believed to be a relative of Ms Browitt posted on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon: “Praying that everyone will be okay.”
Meanwhile, patients from the volcano tragedy arrived at Essendon Airport about 7.40am this morning.
They were flown in a Lear jet and will be transported to The Alfred hospital for treatment.
Ambulance Victoria confirmed a retrieval team left for New Zealand last night to bring home a seriously injured patient as part of a co-ordinated national effort.
The plane is scheduled to depart Essendon Airport at 8am and return to New Zealand.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos on Thursday said the federal government activated a repatriation plan to bring a number of Australians back home for specialist medical care.
“Our focus is on ensuring the best clinical care for those injured, and support for their immediate family during this difficult time,” she said.
MORE AUSSIES KILLED
Tragically, nine Australians are now among the 10 killed, with two schoolboys confirmed dead.
Berend Hollander, 16, and his brother Matthew Hollander, 13, were killed while visiting the site.
The pair attended Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga, on Sydney’s north shore, where their father also went to school.
Devastated friends of NSW couple Karla Matthews, 32, and Richard Elzer, 32, issued a statement saying that the Coffs Harbour pair had tragically lost their lives on White Island.
Their friend, Jason Griffiths, 33, also died in hospital, where he was “surrounded by friends and family members”.
It comes after the family of Adelaide man Gavin Dallow on Thursday confirmed his body had been found and identified by police.
The family said Mr Dallow’s stepdaughter, Zoe Hosking, 15, is also presumed dead with her body on White Island.
Mr Dallow’s partner Lisa Dallow, 48, has been accounted for.
The trio’s family confirmed they set off on a day trip to White Island on Monday but had not heard from them since.
“I’m wrecked … we had the phone with us all last night,” Mr Brian Dallow said.
“We don’t know anything, we haven’t heard anything.”
He said his daughter informed him yesterday that his son went to the island.
Official government sources and a relative said family members had just been informed of their tragic deaths this morning.
The Brisbane mother, 47, and her 20-year-old daughter were listed as missing by Jessica’s father, Tony Richards.
Distraught relatives are preparing to fly to New Zealand, and had been “praying for a miracle”.
The pair, from Calamvale, was enjoying a holiday together on board the Ovation of the Sea cruise where a number of other Australians were vacationing.
SEARCH FOR MISSING AUSSIES
A family of four from Sydney and an Adelaide family are among a long list of the missing, with their desperate families unable to locate or make contact with them.
Relatives of North Sydney’s Langford family have confirmed they haven’t heard anything from father Anthony, wife Kristine and children Jesse, 19, and 17-year-old Winona since the eruption.
But in what is being called an “extraordinary development,” Jesse has been found alive after being feared dead, according to the Seven Network.
The extent of his injuries is unknown. His parents and sister remain unaccounted for.
The family was visiting the island as part of a cruise ship tour when the island blew.
Richard Aaron Elzer, 32, and Karla Michelle Mathews, 32, of Coffs Harbour, NSW, are also listed as missing.
There are now 14 injured Australians being treated in New Zealand, with authorities saying some would return home for burns treatment.
Of the 47 people on or near the island, also known as Whakaari, 24 were Australians aged between 13 to 72.
A local tour guide was the first named among the victims.
New Zealander Hayden Marshall-Inman, from Whakatane in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region, was praised by former Whakatane mayor Tony Bonne as “a young energetic man, who has lost his life”.
VICTORIANS CAUGHT UP
On Tuesday, a Victorian man who was listed as missing had gotten in touch with family.
The father of 45-year-old Melbourne man Stuart Raymond Trott said his son was alive and well.
“Stuart is fine, he is on the boat,” Edmund Schlegel told the Herald Sun.
“My daughters have been speaking to DFAT. We are pretty happy. We are fine.”
Mr Trott is understood to be travelling with his partner.
Melbourne woman Clair White is a passenger on the Ovation of the Seas and said it was a “full on” experience.
“You make a different decision and it could’ve ended differently,” the Mooroolbark resident told the Herald Sun.
“We were supposed to leave at 6pm Monday and they started calling names and some people hadn’t come back.
“Everyone started to realise what had happened and reality set in.”
Ms White said the mood WAs “very sombre” on the ship but passengers had been “really well informed” by the staff.
“They have done well to maintain normalcy,” she said. “No one is in a flap or anything. The communication has been really clear.
“Your holiday plans take a back seat. I’m fine, your heart goes out to these families if you had to spent last night with a level of uncertainty.”
Premier Daniel Andrews said the state government was still waiting for information from DFAT about whether Victorians were impacted by the eruption
“This is a terrible tragedy,” he said.
“There are a number of Australians caught up in this (and) we send them our best wishes.
“We haven’t had confirmation that there are any Victorians involved but if there are then we stand ready to support them in any way that we can.”
Originally published as Melbourne woman missing in New Zealand volcano eruption