By Tom McRae
Jane and Martin Weekes of Wellington are said to be numbed by the loss of their triplets.
The Weekes moved to Doha six years ago and had enrolled their children in the crèche where they died only a few months ago.
Lillie, Willsher and Jackson will always be known to their mum as her "little monkeys".
Jane Weekes kept family and friends around the world up to date on the three's adventures by posting clips on YouTube and sharing their progress on the baby centre website.
She wrote she was happiest when the children would sit around a table laughing like loons at each other.
The three had just turned two last month.
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They were described as fighters when they spent nine weeks in hospital after being born more than two months premature.
Their father Martin Weekes worked for the Interislander line and was chief executive of Eden Park before leaving for Doha to work for media and entertainment company Q Media.
They had recently joined the childcare centre Gympanzee inside the Villaggio Mall, going three mornings a week.
It is on the second floor of the mall, has a full-time nurse and is popular with expats.
Our Prime Minister says there are serious questions that need to be answered about what happened.
“Their family are obviously dealing with terrible grief that they have at this time,” says John Key. “The consular is coming over from Saudi Arabia to support the family, and the grandparents who are here in New Zealand are going to Qatar.”
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The grandparents told 3 News that with the loss of the triplets their lives will never be as full.
“Clearly there are going to be issues to deal with – repatriating bodies, that sort of thing, and dealing with the particular circumstances of the family,” says Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Murray McCully.
The family now are left to come to terms with the loss of their three "little monkeys".
3 News