Ten Australians ‘missing’ after New Zealand volcano

Flowers are placed for the dead and missing on the Whakatane waterfront. Photo: Getty

Of the 47 people on New Zealand’s White Island when it violently and devastatingly erupted on Monday, 24 were Australians.

Eight of those Australians have since been confirmed to have died in the volcanic explosion.

Another 10 remain “missing and presumed deceased”. On Thursday, Mr Morrison said foreshadowed a rise in the official death toll from Monday’s tragedy.

“In the days ahead, there will be worse news, based on what I’ve just relayed to you,” he said.

New Zealand authorities have confirmed numerous bodies remain on the volcanic island off the Bay of Plenty. On Thursday afternoon, NZ Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said they were finalising a plan to recover the bodies on Friday – despite signs of increasingly volatile conditions on White Island, and a 50-60 per cent chance of another blast..

Also on Thursday, Mr Morrison confirmed five injured Australians have already been flown home to hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney. Seven more will follow within the next 24 hours.

THE AUSTRALIAN TOLL SO FAR

Julie and Jessica Richards are confirmed to have died in the White Island eruption.

* Julie Richards, 47, and her daughter Jessica, 20
The Brisbane pair were named by New Zealand police on Wednesday as the first two Australians killed in the disaster.

Jessica was studying veterinary science at the University of Queensland. She was a promising AFL player with a fondness for animals. Julie was a part-owner of a Gold Coast company.

The pair had been travelling on the Royal Caribbean cruise liner.

Gavin and Lisa Dallow, with her daughter Zoe Hosking. Photo: Supplied

* Gavin Dallow, 53
Adelaide lawyer Gavin Dallow was confirmed dead on Wednesday.

“We mourn the loss of Gavin and Zoe,” Mr Dallow’s father, Brian, said on Wednesday afternoon.

“Gavin was a wonderful son and brother. We’ll miss him at the cricket and we’ll miss him at the football. He was a generous man, always helping his family and his community.

* Zoe Hosking, 15
Mr Dallow’s step-daughter, Zoe is missing, presumed dead on White Island, but this is not officially confirmed.

A year 9 student at Adelaide’s St Aloysius College, Zoe had been travelling with Mr Dallow and her mother, Lisa Dallow. Ms Dallow is recovering in hospital.

Jason Griffiths, Karla Mathews and Richard Elzer died after the volcano erupted.

* Karla Mathews, 32 and Richard Elzer, 32, Jason Griffiths
The Coffs Harbour couple and their friend were confirmed dead in a joint statement issued by their friends and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday.

Mr Griffiths died in hospital with burns to 80 per cent of his body.

The trio had been holidaying with a group of friends on the Royal Carribean Ovation of the Seas cruise ship when the volcano erupted.

Berend Hollander (left) and his brother Matthew Hollander have died. Their parents are still missing. Photo: Hollander family

* Berend Hollander, 16, and brother Matthew Hollander, 13 
The brothers have been confirmed dead by their Sydney school, Knox Grammar. Their parents, Martin and Barbara, remain unaccounted for.

“It is with the greatest sadness that I can confirm that Matthew Hollander (Year 8) and Berend (known as ‘Ben’) Hollander (Year 10) have passed away in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the White Island volcano eruption,” the school’s headmaster Scott James wrote to parents.

“Please take some time to reflect on the lives of Matthew and Ben and this devastating loss for our community.

* Krystal Browitt, 21
The Melbourne woman is missing, presumed dead but this is not officially confirmed.

Six more Australians are still unaccounted for. They are:

Anthony Langford, 51, Kristine Langford, Winona Langford, 17, all of Sydney (their son and brother Jesse, 19, is in hospital); Martin Hollander, 48, Barbara Hollander, 50, both of Sydney; Joshua Qin, 5, Sydney

-with AAP