Whakaari/White Island eruption: Victims with significant burns 'cannot speak', remain unidentified

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

Police Minister Stuart Nash said agencies are still working on verifying the identity of those injured and presumed dead after the Whakaari/White Island eruption.

Australian Federal police had sent a victim identification team to work with New Zealand police.

There are some in hospital who are still unidentified, Nash said.

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Police Minister Stuart Nash said agencies were still working on verifying the identity of those injured and presumed dead.

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'There are still some very, very seriously injured people in hospital. We're not out of the woods yet.

'We're working very closely with a number of agencies to ensure we get this identification right.

Flowers and cards have started to be placed at the cordon site for White Island victims along Whakatane Wharf.

'There are a number of people in hospital who cannot communicate because they have significant burns not only to skin but to internal organs.

'Nine are still in serious condition, critical condition, they cannot speak … or communicate.'

CRIMINAL INQUIRY A 'SLIP OF THE TONGUE'

The police announcement of a criminal investigation into the White Island deaths was a 'slip of the tongue', says Nash.

Police backtracked on their announcement of a criminal inquiry into the deaths of tourists in the eruption and said their investigation was on behalf of the coroner and will be carried out in parallel with WorkSafe's investigation.

Nash accepted the announcement may have caused some alarm but reiterated there was no criminal inquiry at this stage, but officers were gathering information and would then make a decision on where the inquiry heads.

'It was a slip of the tongue.

'When there have been deaths, multiple deaths, of course there's going to be an inquiry take place. Police just do this as a matter of course.

'Whenever there has been serious injury, let alone multiple fatalities, then we undertake these inquiries.'

'Who knows what will come out of this.

'If in fact it does morph into a criminal inquiry we will let people know'.

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.