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'Absolutely heartbroken': families mourn White Island's victims

<span>Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters</span>
Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters

As New Zealand police confirmed they will attempt to recover the eight remaining bodies on White Island on Friday, families of the victims have been mourning their relatives lost in the volcano tragedy.

The family of Berend Hollander, 16, and his 13-year-old brother Matthew issued a statement saying they were “absolutely heartbroken by this loss”. The two boys were students at Knox Grammar school in Sydney’s north and died in hospital. Their parents, Martin and Barbara, are among those still unaccounted for.

“Ben and Matthew were wonderfully kind and spirited boys who lived short but very fulsome lives. They loved Knox and all their friends, and the Australian sports and outdoor lifestyle they adopted on moving from the United States six years ago. They had a positive and lasting impact on everyone’s paths they crossed. The family requests privacy at this difficult time,” the statement said.

A letter from the Knox principal to parents confirmed the deaths “with the greatest sadness”.

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

The Australian government has confirmed that 28 citizens or residents were caught up in the disaster. A total of 16 people are believed to have died as a result of the eruption, including 14 Australian citizens or permanent residents, and New Zealander tour guide, Hayden Marshall-Inman.

Of the 14 Australians believed dead, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) said three died in hospital and 11 were presumed dead or missing – a careful distinction which acknowledges that formal identifications are yet to occur because of the extent of injuries and also the number of bodies still yet to be recovered from the island.

Of the 14 remaining citizens or permanent residents, five have been returned to Australia on medical evacuations. Another seven citizens and one permanent resident were expected to be airlifted on Thursday.

Related: New Zealand volcano: police plan body retrieval on Friday despite eruption risk

One Australian citizen is expected to remain at the New Zealand hospital where they are currently being treated.

Through family and friends, a number of the deceased and those presumed to have died on the island have been identified.

Three friends from Coffs Harbour in NSW, Karla Matthews, Richard Elzer and Jason Griffiths also died. Their deaths were confirmed by travelling companions on Wednesday.

“We are incredibly saddened to have lost three of our closest friends,” their friends Alex, Daniel, Ellie, Leanne, Paul and Samantha said in a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Griffiths died in hospital after suffering burns to 80% of his body in Monday’s eruption while Mathews and her partner Elzer are among eight bodies believed still on the island where authorities say there is no sign of life.

Earlier on Wednesday Gavin Dallow, 52, and his step-daughter Zoe Hosking, 15, were also confirmed as victims.

Lisa Dallow, Gavin Dallow’s wife and Zoe’s mother, was found alive and taken to a New Zealand hospital in a critical condition.

Zoe’s body is believed to still be on the island.

Gavin Dallow’s father,Brian, said Gavin was “wonderful son and brother”, and the family was heartbroken at the loss of Zoe.

“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.”

Brian questioned if his son knew of the risks of visiting the island, home to New Zealand’s most active volcano.

“Gavin was always one for being fairly articulate on what he did,” he said on Wednesday.

“So, I think if he had known there was a danger he wouldn’t have gone on it. I’m pretty well sure they weren’t fully informed of the danger.”

John Mickel said the family of Julie Richards, 47, and her daughter Jessica, 20, were “united in grief” at the news of their deaths.

“The family have asked me to describe Julie and Jess as being outdoor, adventurous people ... if there was an adventure that offered itself, then they would go,” he said.

Anthony and Kristine Langford and their teenage children, Jesse, 19 and Winona 17, from Sydney, were listed as missing.

Jesse is believed to be in a New Zealand hospital.

Jesse graduated from Marist North Shore in 2018. The principal of Jesse’s former school, Marist North Shore, emailed parents letting them know that the former student was listed as missing.

“It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm to you that several members of our Marist North Shore family are missing in the aftermath of the White Island volcano disaster,” said , Tony Duncan.

“Jesse, who graduated last year was a talented and popular student during his time at the school, finishing up as Mackillop house captain,” he said. He asked for school families to have the Langfords in their prayers.

New Zealand police have also listed Victorian woman Krystal Browitt as missing on the island, and the Sydney Morning Herald has identified Joshua Qin, 5, Robert Rogers, 78, Jane Murray, 56 and Susan Maree Cole, a reported missing by family and friends.

New Zealand tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, who worked for White Island Tours, was confirmed by his family as a victim on Tuesday. He was described as a “very experienced guide” who “loved life” by former Whakatāne mayor Tony Bonne.

There are 21 patients still in New Zealand burns units, including two New Zealanders. Of those, 12 are in a critical condition according to New Zealand health authorities. They still required “the highest level of care” and a small number were “very unwell”, said Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the director-general of health.

The repatriation of Australians in intensive care-capable aircraft “has been going exceptionally well” and had taken pressure off New Zealand units, he said.

“Our intensive care burns teams throughout all of the burns units continue to work around the clock, putting in huge hours and showing, as we know they do, and unbelievable commitment to ensuring the very best of care for patients.”

Bloomfield said they had accepted offers of specialist burns teams to come from US, UK, and Australia and relieve New Zealand teams.