The first burial services for victims of Friday's mosque shooting have taken place in Christchurch.
Mourners carry the first coffins of victims killed in the mosque attacks during a funeral at the Memorial Park cemetery in Christchurch Photo: AFP or licensors
Father and son, 44-year-old Khaled Mustafa and 15-year-old Hamza, were laid to rest in a Janaza service at Memorial Park Cemetery in Linwood.
The service started at 12.30pm when the bodies arrived by hearse.
They were wrapped in cloth and carried on a board by several mourners.
They were first taken into a large marquee set up on the site for prayers before being carried to burial plots nearby.
At the grave side family members prayed while about 200 mourners stood some distance away.
Zaid Mustafa (in wheelchair), who was wounded by the gunman, attends the funeral of his slain father Khaled Mustafa and brother Hamza Mustafa at the Memorial Park cemetery in Christchurch today. Photo: AFP or licensors
About ten minutes later the mourners came forward and sprinkled dirt into the grave.
Similar services will be repeated over the next few days as more of the 50 victims are laid to rest.
Meanwhile, Haji Hafiz Musa Patel who was killed during the terrorist attack in Christchurch will be buried in Auckland tomorrow afternoon.
Mr Patel was the chief priest at Lautoka Jame Masjid for about 25 years before moving to Australia last month.
Mr Patel's body was released from hospital this morning.
