A White Island tour guide has been praised for his “superhuman” effort in rescuing victims from the disaster scene in an emotional Facebook tribute by his former boss.
Posting a heartfelt tribute on Tuesday, Rick Pollock spoke about White Island Tours manager Paul Kingi and also how the company was established 35 years ago and achieved a string of successes until “their fabulous run of luck ran out.”
He wrote that he was “personally devastated” as he had known deceased tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, since he was three years old. He revealed that Mr Marshal-Inman was a passionate guide who travelled to the US before returning to his home, New Zealand where he ran boats “under the supervision of his mentor and friend, Paul Kingi.”
Mr Pollock, who runs a charter fishing company, said Mr Kingi had a strong work ethic which was highlighted even during horrific times.
“Yesterday this all came to fruition yet again but under the most dire of circumstances. Having left the island only minutes before the eruption he was the first back on, rescuing and assisting numerous injured back onto the waiting boats.
“He went back again and again, ignoring the toxic environment and personal risk, until he was satisfied there were no more obvious survivors remaining. This superhuman effort doesn’t surprise me in the least as I’ve seen this fine man in action on numerous occasions, always controlling a bad situation.
“Indeed, I was shipwrecked with him once for five days on an uninhabited Island! Anyway, I’d like to recognise Paul for what he is on this occasion, nothing less than a hero!”
Mr Kingi was on the dock before the final boat was making it off the island. Speaking to Radio New Zealand, Mr Pollock mentioned how Mr Kingi was “absolutely vital” to the rescue effort and fortunately, he wasn’t serving as boat skipper at the time.
“Had he been the skipper he would have had the responsibility too and he couldn’t have spread himself too thin. But Paul, being a free agent was able to get back on the island and pretty much perform all the heroics,” he said, as he added that Mr Kingi got onto an inflatable dinghy and made his way back to the erupting island.
“He just charged back into that crater and was just pulling people off left right and centre – I think he pulled in excess of 20 people out.”
Right as he was getting ready to leave, he saw a final figure emerging through the ashes.
“He said that the atmosphere was acidic, acrid and just horrible and he was really starting to get concerned for himself when he saw him,” said Mr Pollock. “That was the last person he rescued. And that man, he said, had a full inch of ash all over him.”
Mr Pollock said the entire incident would have been difficult on his friend but he wanted to showcase his effort because he “flies under the radar so often”.
“He’s just an incredible guy in every instance and he really showed it yesterday. He really put his life on the line.”
