Desperate request from White Island volcano victim’s brother denied by NZ PM
The heartbroken brother of the White Island volcano eruption victim has written to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asking if he could stage his own recovery operation of his sibling’s body.
Mark Inman’s brother Hayden Marshall-Inman was the first victim named from the horrific eruption that has also killed seven other Australians with ten others missing or feared dead.
Hayden worked as a tour guide on the island and was described as an “energetic young man” who would regularly leave $5 at the local shop for those who needed it for groceries.
Mark met the New Zealand Prime Minister after the disaster and sent her an email inquiring about staging his own recovery of his brother’s body.
New Zealand police currently say that conditions are too dangerous for emergency services to access the island at present.
The email that Mark sent to Ardern reads:
"We met yesterday concerning my brother Hayden who is still on White Island 44 hours after the explosions," he wrote, in an email shared with New Zealand's version of The Project.
"With the current conditions of sunshine baking and decomposing his body, he's going from a situation where we could have an open casket to now more likely not having a body at all – due to your government's red tape and slow decision making."
"I am writing to ask for a pardon for my actions of a personal recovery."
Here is Mark Inman's letter to @jacindaardern, requesting a pardon should he attempt a personal recovery of his brother's body #TheProjectNZ pic.twitter.com/jLejGDL2W8
— The Project NZ (@TheProject_NZ) December 11, 2019
Staff from Ardern’s office said the message was passed onto police minister Stuart Nash and acknowledging that this must be an “incredibly tough time for you”.
"It must be an incredibly tough time for you and your whanau (family). We have passed your email to the Minister of Police's office who will be in touch with you about the situation very soon,” the email said.
Police minister Nash then confirmed that Mark’s request to go to the volcano had been denied.
"The last thing we want to do is to have further casualties in what is already a significant tragedy," Nash said without mentioning Mr Inman by name.
"We won't give anyone permission to go to the island, we need to understand the risk then we can work to mitigate the chances of anyone else being injured in this.
"The last thing we want to do is for people to risk their lives to go out to the island."
He also said the request was "foolhardy, but I understand, out of frustration when in fact all they will be doing is putting themselves in greater harm."
Mark told the New Zealand version of The Project that a pilot had seen his brother’s body and moved it onto a rise on the island.
"We all know health and safety is important, but when health and safety starts to become a barrier to retrieval, that's when you get frustrated," Mr Inman said.