White Island victims: Australian dies, death toll rises to 20
The devastating White Island volcano is continuing to claim victims, with another Australian dying in hospital weeks after the catastrophic New Zealand event.
NSW
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The death toll from the White Island tragedy has risen to 20 after another Australian died in hospital overnight.
NZ Police confirmed on Monday an 18th person had died as a result of injuries suffered in the volcanic eruption while another two people remain missing presumed dead.
Alfred Hospital in Melbourne confirmed one of the three patients they received from the White Island volcano incident had died.
Five Australian victims have now died in hospital, with four others losing their own battles in December after suffering critical burns.
Two Sydney boys - Berend and Matthew Hollander - were among those who succumbed to their injuries last month.
The Knox Grammar School students, aged 16 and 13, were fondly remembered following news of their deaths on December 12.
Please take some time to reflect on the lives of Matthew and Ben and this devastating loss for our community,” Knox Grammar headmaster Scott James wrote at the time.
NSW resident, 33-year-old Jason Griffiths, also died in hospital last month after sustaining burns to 90 per cent of his body.
Mr Griffiths was holidaying with a group of friends when he and couple Karla Mathews and Rick Elzer broke off from the group to visit White Island on December 9.
He suffered extensive burns and head trauma and died after being evacuated to hospital.
Another unidentified Australian also died at Sydney’s Concord Hospital in mid-December.
Meanwhile, the bodies of two victims - Hayden Marshell-Inman and Winona Langford, 17, - have never been found.
New Zealand authorities say their bodies had likely been swept out to sea and a search operation for the pair was called off in late December.
Some 47 people, including 24 Australians were on the island when the eruption occurred on December 9.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said the WorkSafe investigation into the “harm and loss of life” caused by the eruption may take up to a year.
“Tour operators, cruiseship happenings, emergency responders and land owners fall under this. WorkSafe can prosecute for breaches of the act and penalties in criminal sanctions range from $50,000 to $3 million and up to five years in prison,” Ms Ardern said.
“The coronial processes are also likely to continue for some time. As a cabinet, we know that it is possible there will be broader issues that won’t be covered by these inquiries.”
The volcano, located in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s north, erupted on December 9 while 47 people were touring the island.
Thirty-eight of these people were visiting the island as part of a trip aboard the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship.
The volcano was showing heightened activity in the weeks before it blew.
The eruption left many with horrific burn injuries requiring 1.2 million square centimetres of skin to graft to be shipped from the United States.
Tour guides and passengers heroically rescued a number of victims immediately after the eruption before paramedics arrived.
A number of bodies remained on the island in the week after the eruption as ongoing volcanic activity in the area and poor visibility hampered recovery efforts.
A team of elite soldiers on December 13 landed on the volcano, where they recovered six bodies.
Originally published as White Island victims: Australian dies, death toll rises to 20