Australian family gathers in NZ to remember their brother and son five years after White Island Volcano disaster

As the sun rose in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty on Monday families of those who died in the White Island Volcano eruption five years ago met to commemorate their loved ones including the family of Coffs Harbour man Jason Griffiths.

The last photo of Coffs Harbour man Jason Griffiths who died four days after the White Island volcano tragedy in 2019.

Five years ago today started like any other day for the Griffiths but by the end of it they would be desperately trying to get information on their son Jason Griffiths whereabouts, after a volcanic eruption in New Zealand.

Tragically, it was confirmed Mr Griffiths, 33, had been on the volcanic island — Whakaari/White Island in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty on December 9 2019, when a volcano erupted.

A keen and popular adventurer, Mr Griffiths had been travelling with a group of nine friends, aboard a cruise ship Ovation of the Seas, when he took an optional tour of the island.

22 people died in the disaster in the Bay of Plenty. Picture: 7 News

He suffered critical burns to 98 per cent of his body and tragically succumbed to them four days after the tragedy on December 12 2019, with his Coffs Harbour family by his side.

On Monday the family woke up in New Zealand for a dawn memorial commemoration service, along with members of the 22 other families who lost loved ones including two of Mr Griffith’s friends, also from Coffs Harbour — Karla Mathews and Richard Elzer, both aged 32.

Karen Griffiths, Craig Griffiths, Mel Griffiths and Jason Griffiths.

Younger sister Mel said understandably the Griffith family wanted to attend the five year commemoration events underway in the Bay of Plenty.

However she acknowledged the difficulties in facing some of the commemoration events, which includes a meet and greet with the helicopter pilots who attended the rescue operation.

Mel Griffiths will attend the five year commemoration of the tragic White Island Volcano eruption which took the life of her brother Jason in 2019.

“It’s going to be huge,” Ms Griffiths told this publication.

“It’s going to be really hard.”

Mr Griffiths was one of 47 people on the island on that fateful day five years ago, 22 of whom died as a result of their injuries.

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