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Port workers pay tribute

Ports of Auckland’s flags are at half-mast as employees farewell “bright spark with friendly face”.
Posted on 19 March, 2019
Port workers pay tribute

Staff at Ports of Auckland are devastated to learn someone they have worked with over the past five years was killed in the attacks on mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

Atta Elayyan, chief executive officer and co-founder of technology LWA Solutions, and his team were “always been a pleasure to work with”. 

“Atta first worked with us about five years ago on an app to streamline our environmental processes and digitise our old paper-based clipboard inspections,” Matt Ball, head of communications at the port, told Autofile Online. 

“LWA has gone on to develop our pilot virtual-reality app and a virtual-reality straddle training programme, and there are other projects in the pipeline. Atta has also been a part of SeePort for the past two years, showing his pilot and straddle VR apps to the public. 

“Those of us who worked with him found him to be a kind, caring and very intelligent man. He was a loving father, husband, brother, son. Atta’s friendly face, his bright smile, kind demeanour and expert knowledge will be greatly missed. New Zealand has lost someone special.”

On a personal note, Ball adds: “I knew Atta as we worked together on SeePort. A nicer man you could not meet. This an absolute tragedy.”

A message on the port’s Facebook page states: “Our sympathies are with Atta’s family, the LWA Solutions team and all of those impacted by this violent act of terrorism. There is no place for hate in this world.”

A separate post adds: “Our flags are at half-mast today as a mark of respect to those killed in Christchurch. Allah yerhamon. We are a diverse group at Ports of Auckland, and we would like to express our support for our Muslim neighbours, friends and colleagues at this terrible time.”

Atta Elayyan leaves a wife and young daughter, and was the family’s main breadwinner. If anyone would like to help them out directly, one of his friends has set up a Give A Little page online at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-atta-elayyans-family