New Zealand tsunami victim identified

The body of missing Aucklander Andrew Welch has been identified in Thailand.

His father-in-law, John Croft, said in Christchurch yesterday that Mr Welch had been identified through DNA and his family was notified on Saturday night.

Mr Welch and his wife, Belinda, went missing when their beach-front bungalow in Khao Lak, southern Thailand, was swamped by the Boxing Day tsunami.

Mrs Welch, 26 and Mr Welch, 42, were on the final leg of a world tour.

Mrs Welch's body was identified in late February and her family will travel to Thailand next month to retrieve it.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the body of former Christchurch man Stephen Bond had also been identified in Phuket. Mr Bond, 46, and his Thai wife, Janjira, were holidaying near Khao Lak with their three children.

- NZPA