A mate of mine is in NZ scuba diving near the volcano.

[Sir Desmond Glazebrook]

Very sad to see people have died in NZ duevto the volcano. My mate, Samir, is in NZ scuba diving in that area. I have sent whatsapp messages. So far no response. I am pretty confident he and his friends, all high end scua divers (they work with James Cameron).

Fingers crossed. 

 

[Sir Desmond Glazebrook]

He just responded to my message "Did the volcano get you?"

Apparently they are 600 k's north.

Geography was never my strong point. Later this year I will fly from Sydney to Perth so I can get a cheap flight to New Zealand. 

[Wumm]

Glad to hear that your Friend is OK...

Condolences to those who were lost on Monday, the injured and their families. It's probably of little consolation, but they were on the trip of a lifetime and doing something they loved. I reckon I'd rather go that way, that have a concrete slab fall on me at work or something similar. 

My Wife and I snorkelled Hardy's Reef in the Whitsundays this April just gone; there was a Shark attack there only a month earlier. So we were aware of the danger, but didn't let it intrude on the experience too much. I wonder whether those Tourists embarked on an active Volcano were fully informed of the potential dangers they faced at the time.