Whakaari / White Island eruption: 'Missing' Adelaide mother alive with burns in hospital - family

9:22 pm on 10 December 2019

An Adelaide mother reported missing in the wake of the New Zealand volcanic eruption is in hospital with severe burns - but there is still no word on her husband and daughter.

Gavin and Lisa Dallow on their wedding day in 2017.

Gavin and Lisa Dallow on their wedding day in 2017. Photo: Facebook / Rotary Adelaide

Lisa Dallow, 48, was on a two-week cruise with her husband Gary Dallow, 53, and her daughter Zoe Hosking, 15, when Whakaari / White Island erupted on Monday.

A family spokesperson confirmed Ms Dallow was alive but with severe burns in a hospital in Hamilton.

Her husband and daughter are still considered missing.

In a statement provided a short time ago, the Dallow family said they were praying for the safe return of all of their loved ones.

"We feel for all the families who are going through the same frustration and fear for loved ones as we are," the family said.

"All we can do is pray for their safe return.

"Our thoughts also go out to the emergency workers who have done so much for the injured and ask that their safety is paramount."

The family said it was receiving support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Red Cross and cruise company Royal Caribbean.

Forty-seven tourists - many of them from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship - and guides were on the tiny island when the eruption occurred.

Read more on the Whakaari/White Island eruption:

Brisbane woman Julie Richards and her daughter Jessica are also missing, while experienced tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman was the first victim of the disaster to be publicly named.

Three Australians are believed to be among five people confirmed dead.

Speaking from his Adelaide home, Mr Dallow's father Brian said the trio had been on a daytrip to White Island.

"We do know they were on the island. That is definite," he said earlier.

"At the moment, we think they might be in hospital. We're not sure. We really don't know anything."

Zoe Hosking is a Year 9 student at Adelaide's St Aloysius College (SAC) which this morning issued a statement confirming the family was missing.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Zoe and her family," principal Paddy McEvoy said.

"The SAC chapel is open and school counsellors are on hand to support students.

"We know that you share our sadness at this time. We turn to our loving God to give us strength and courage in the days ahead."

Mr and Ms Dallow were married in 2017.

Ms Dallow is an engineer at Santos, while Mr Dallow runs his own legal firm. Both are heavily involved in Rotary clubs in South Australia.

Rotary District Governor Jane Owens said the news had hit hard for everyone in Rotary.

"I'm devastated, I know Gavin and Lisa very, very well, and Zoe," she said.

"I'm just hoping and praying for the best."

She said both held senior positions in her district and were active members of the Rotary community.

"In fact, Lisa and Gavin actually met through Rotary and were married by a Rotarian in Lisa's club," she said.

"They've got a lot of community in them, and are very much a part of the Rotary family.

"Our members are very important to us and we will take every action to help families and communities recover from this disaster."

Rotary Adelaide posted on Facebook that it was "praying and hoping for better news".

"Gavin is a longstanding member of the Prospect Rotary club and of course [his] wife Lisa is a valued member of our club," it said.

"Together with daughter Zoe, they are very much in our thoughts."

- ABC

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