Whakaari/White Island eruption: Australian family mourn father and stepdaughter

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Gavin Dallow was confirmed dead on Wednesday evening.

The last time Kym Loechel saw his cousin Gavin Dallow, he was rubbing it in about his upcoming trip to White Island.

Loechel, from South Australia, said it was on his bucket list to visit the active volcano, but Dallow would get there first with his wife Lisa and her daughter Zoe Hosking, 15.

So as soon as Loechel saw the news on Monday evening about an eruption he knew his cousin and his family, from Adelaide, Australia, were at risk.

Gavin Dallow and his wife, Lisa Dallow, who had burns to 60 per cent of her body but was recovering in hospital.

'As soon as I saw Ovations of the Sea was involved I looked and rang his phone [and] there was no answer. I text him, I tried him on Facebook, I did everything I could and there was no answer so I then became very concerned and listed him on the red cross site as missing.

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'From there it's been a minute-by-minute thing. The family have had a very bad feeling about it from the beginning. And I had an absolute dread because I'm pretty sure I knew from the beginning if he had survived he was in a position where he couldn't contact anyone and that's not good either.'

Brian Dallow addressed the media regarding the death of his son, Gavin Dallow.

Then, on Tuesday morning the family received some hopeful news when Lisa Dallow's brother found her in hospital. She had burns to 60 per cent of her body, but she was alive and off the island.

'We thought they would be together and we thought if Lisa has been found that there's a possibility that maybe he's in a hospital somewhere else.

'We're a long way away, we can't run down the hospital and see which one he's in.'

However, 24 hours later Loechel's worst fears were recognised. Police confirmed his cousin was dead, and his step-daughter was missing, feared dead.

Loechel, an emergency services worker, said the family believe Hosking remains on White Island, and while they want her returned they don't want it to come at the cost of anyone else.

'We totally understand the need to be cautious. I certainly would not want one more person to be even slightly injured, hurt, killed or anything just to recover someone who is obviously deceased.

'It's great for the family and there would be nothing better to have everyone home again, but we don't want anyone hurt.'

Loechel said the 'lovely couple' had been married for about two years.

Gavin Dallow had been to New Zealand before but always wanted to go back, Loechel said.

He last saw his cousin about a week before he left for the cruise.

'He knew it was on my bucket list and he was rubbing it into me.

'I said 'you lucky dog' because I've always wanted to go there. He was excited about going to New Zealand again, White Island was on the itinerary and he was pretty happy to be going there.'

Loechel said despite it being a plan to visit White Island, Gavin Dallow was 'Mr conservative' and if there was any risk he wouldn't have gone on the island.

'Gavin was a very conservative bloke, he would be in our family, in our family he would be the last one I would've considered that would even have possibly gone near a volcano, but there he is.

'He certainly wouldn't have gone there himself or taken his wife and daughter [if there had been a risk].'

The family's thoughts were now with everyone in hospital still fighting for their lives.

'We just hope to God they make it.'

Dallow's father, Brian Dallow, also told Nine News he didn't believe his son would have gone onto White Island if he thought there was any chance he or his family were in danger.

'Gavin was always one for being fairly articulate on what he did. I think if he knew there was a danger, he would haven't gone on it.

'So I'm pretty sure they weren't fully informed of the dangers, otherwise he would haven't gone. I'm quite sure of that. That's the only thing I can be really positive about.'

The family said in a statement: 'We mourn the loss of Gavin and Zoe. 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.

'Our hearts break at the loss of Zoe at such a young age. We know her loss will also devastate her school community and the local Girl Guides, of which she was an active member.'