A New Zealand Defence Force bomb disposal expert has recalled the body recovery mission on Whakaari/White Island she was part of just days after the deadly eruption.
Sergeant F, who can't be named for security reasons, spoke to 1 NEWS in an exclusive interview about the operation to find and retrieve eight bodies from the island following the December 9, 2019 eruption.
"There was a lot of emotion around just being able to get on there and to retrieve those victims for their families," she said.
"It wasn’t what I had expected initially. It was far more demanding on the body."
She was one of eight elite soldiers called up to serve in the most extraordinary of circumstances.
"To be able to go onto a volcano certainly was beyond anything we’ve asked them to do before," said Defence Force special operations component Commander Rian McKinstry in the lead up to the recovery mission.
Swaddled layers of protective clothing were worn by the team, as they arrived on the island by boat, four days after the devastating eruption that eventually claimed the lives of 22 people.
"Mordor is a pretty good description on the feel of the place. So empty, dark, grey, ashy," said Sergeant F. "It was like being on another planet. It was out of this earth."
Sergeant F says she felt the weight of responsibility from grieving, expectant families - which motivated the team.
For all of their efforts, two bodies have never been recovered – those of Whakatāne tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman and Australian tourist Winona Langford.
"We made every effort we could as a team to try and locate the two victims that weren’t found."
Their shared experiences will never leave them.
"We received letters of thanks from some families, that was a very humbling experience to read their words. The reason we join the New Zealand Defence Force is to help others. And it’s just that reminder of why we’re here. And why we do what we do."
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