NZ teacher safe after Haiti quake

Samuel Picketts. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland teacher feared missing in the Haiti earthquake is alive and safe, his family said today.

Samuel Picketts - who teaches English and coaches volleyball at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Otara - had not been heard from since the island nation's devastating quake.

The American family of 59-year-old yesterday said his silence was unusual and speaking to the Weekend Herald from Maryland yesterday Mr Pickett's sister Taylor Walls said she had been sick with worry.

However, Ms Walls rang this morning to say her brother was alive and safe.

Mr Picketts, who previously worked at Mt Albert Grammar, "fell in love" with New Zealand while working here 10 years ago.

He always had a trip away at Christmas and had been in the Dominican Republic for five days when he called his family.

He was scheduled to go to Port-au-Prince, but had mentioned Cuba as a possible alternative destination.

"He always has legs of the trip that allow him flexibility," Ms Wall said.

But it was completely out of character for him not to ease family nerves after the quake.

"Normally he would call just to say, 'I'm fine'," Ms Walls said. "He always calls. He knows how we watch the news."

Mt Albert Grammar headmaster Dale Burden said Mr Picketts was well liked by students and very dedicated. "He used to put hours and hours and hours of extra time into the kids ... I just hope he's alright."

Last night, Ms Walls said she the family were frustrated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's lack of action.

As Mr Picketts is an American citizen, responsibility for consular assistance falls to United States authorities.

"This guy's been working for 10 years contributing to the country," said Ms Walls, "and nobody wants to know."