Whakaari/White Island eruption: American woman is alive and well
Tuesday, 10 December 2019
Randy Amato feared for his daughter when he woke to news that a volcanic eruption had killed a number of people in New Zealand.
Powerless to do anything from America, Randy who had spent hours online and on the phone trying to contact his daughter Nicole Amato did the next best thing - he listed her as missing and hoped someone would confirm her safety.
The eruption of Whakaari/White Island on Monday has amounted in mass casualties. Police have confirmed five people are dead, while 31 were still in hospital and three had been discharged. The remaining eight people on the island are still unaccounted for.
Police said rescue helicopters, the police Eagle helicopter, and New Zealand Defence Force aircraft had already undertaken multiple reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption, and would send out more aerial flights throughout Tuesday.
**READ MORE:
* Five dead as Whakaari/White Island volcano erupts in the Bay of Plenty
* A history of Whakaari/White Island eruptions: New Zealand's most active volcano
* White Island tourist captures dramatic footage of volcano eruption
* How will Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption affect the rest of New Zealand?**
Back in America the time difference meant while Randy was pacing the halls his daughter Nicole was sleeping peacefully in Auckland unaware of the drama playing out in her home country.
Amato, 23, is on a one-year working holiday in New Zealand and was in Auckland when the eruption happened.
In the last conversation she had with her father she told him she was going to an island, he assumed Whakaari/White Island when he learned of the eruption.
'My dad was freaking out,' Amato said.
'I told him I was going to an island this week and he hadn't heard from me in a bit but it's Waiheke and I leave tomorrow. I was sleeping while he was trying contact me so I think he panicked and reported me missing…
'So many frantic messages especially since I normally don't go to sleep until late 2 to 3 am and the one time that I go to sleep before 11pm is the time he is frantically trying to get in contact with me. He's a bit of a worrier as it is but I don't blame him for this one.'
WHERE TO GET INFORMATION
Police ask that anyone who wishes to submit information about loved ones who might have been visiting White Island during the eruption should call police on 105.
Anyone calling from overseas can call +64 9105 105, or use the online form.