Whakaari/White Island eruption: Australian tourist in hospital 'hurt pretty bad' with serious burns

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

A tourist watched from a cruise ship as the volcano his friends were visiting erupted.

One of them, Jason Griffiths, 33, is in hospital with serious burns.

Family have confirmed Jason Griffiths, from Coffs Harbour, near Sydney, Australia, is among the injured.

The other two, Karla Mathews, 32, and Richard Elzer, 32, are missing, Griffiths' brother-in-law says.

Griffiths, Mathews and Elzer, who are all from Coffs Harbour, Sydney, were travelling on the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas with at least one other friend.

Karla Mathews and Richard Elzer were visiting Whakaari/White Island when it erupted.

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47 people were on Whakaari/White Island when it erupted.

The trio ventured to Whakaari/White Island on Monday.

Their friend wasn't fit enough to travel to the island and watched as it erupted shortly after 2pm.

Steve Jarzynski said Griffiths, his brother-in-law, suffered serious injuries and was in hospital in a critical condition.

'He's hurt pretty bad.'

Mathews and Elzer were missing.

Jarzynski said his devastated wife, Melissa, was trying desperately to get to New Zealand to be with Griffiths, her injured older brother, but couldn't afford flights.

'I just want to somehow get her there. She's devastated … She hasn't stopped crying.'

Griffiths, who was interested in science, was very excited about the cruise. He'd been talking about it since last year.

'He loved travelling. He loved seeing the world.'

A Woolworths spokesperson said their thoughts were with Griffiths and 'his loved ones at this difficult time'.

'We've made contact with his family and offered our support with flights over to New Zealand and assistance from our team members in the area.'

The company was offering support to Griffiths' Coffs Harbour colleagues who 'are understandably shaken by the news', the spokesperson said.

Coffs Harbour mayor Denise Knight said she had no specific information about the Coffs Harbour residents caught up in the explosion.

'This is a devastating event to have happened and our thoughts are with all those involved and their loved ones.'