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The partner of one of two New Zealand men released by Nigerian kidnappers three days ago says the family was reunited just in time for another farewell.
Brent Goddard, 49, and Bruce Klenner, 47, returned home to New Zealand yesterday after being released by their kidnappers on Thursday NZ time, a week after being taken hostage at gunpoint.
Both men were spending days with their families today.
Neither man wished to talk to media today but Mr Goddard's partner Gilly Sannazzaro said he was delighted to be home in time to see her daughter Natasha Eccles, 20, who is heading overseas.
"I was up at 3am today to get her to the airport because she's off to work in Abu Dhabi (in the United Arab Emirates)," Ms Sannazzaro said today from their home in Titahi Bay, north of Wellington.
"Brent got back yesterday afternoon so he got a chance to give her a final farewell before she left.
"It's been an emotional roller-coaster for me with Brent's capture, his arrival home and now my daughter leaving."
Ms Eccles, who formerly worked for Qantas, will be joining the cabin crew with Etihad Airways.
Ms Sannazzaro said she and Mr Goddard were very tired and would spend a quiet day along with Ms Sanazzaro's other daughter, Catherine.
"He's very exhausted and just wants to rest today."
Mr Klenner's wife Linda had a long day yesterday, flying from New Plymouth to Auckland at 9.30am with her daughters Jess and Hannah to pick him up.
The family were reunited about 1pm and spent some time relaxing at the terminal before arriving back in New Plymouth about 6pm.
"We had a great night with friends and family and celebrated with a few drinks, which I have to admit tasted darn good," Ms Klenner told NZPA.
"We've had a slow morning and we might heat up the spa and have a few more glasses of bubbly today."
She also said her husband was tired and was unlikely to want to tell his story to media for a couple of days.
Ms Klenner paid tribute to her daughters and numerous other friends and family who provided emotional support to her while her husband was being held hostage.
Mr Goddard and Mr Klenner were working for the Lone Star Drilling Company on Shell oil exploration platform in the Niger Delta when they were kidnapped along with three colleagues on July 4.
Seven days later they were released along with Australian Jason Lane, Lebanese George Saliba and Venezuelan Andres Gamboa.
It is believed one other man was injured during the raid, and that dynamite had been placed on the rig during the incident.
It was not Mr Klenner's first encounter with armed raiders, as he and fellow workers locked themselves inside the rig when it was raided in 2001.
The Niger Delta has been at the centre of a long confrontation between the government, militants who claim to be fighting for a larger share of oil resources for locals and a plethora of armed gangs out to make ransom money.
About 200 foreigners, mostly oil workers, have been kidnapped in the region since the beginning of 2006.
Foreign Affairs' Safe Travel website said there was an "extreme" security risk in Nigeria's Delta state with increasing armed attacks against foreigners and rising crime and kidnappings.
The risks were not as extreme in other parts of the country.
ASI Global Response said Nigeria was second only to Iraq as the country with the greatest risk of kidnap of foreign workers.
- NZPA
