Criminal trial over White Island volcanic eruption starts in New Zealand
Natural disaster at Whakaari
The White island, also referred to as Whakaari, the island’s traditional Maori name witnessed one of the worst natural disasters in 2019.
Around 47 people were present on the island when a volcanic eruption took place. 22 people, mostly tourists from Australia, the U.S. and Malaysia died in the volcanic eruption in 2019 at the White island. (File photo)
Unfathomable grief
The then Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern attended a press conference along with New Zealand Police Superintendent Bruce Bird and Whakatane Mayor Judy Turner soon after the tragedy. Speaking at the press conference, New Zealand's PM Ardern expressed "unfathomable grief" on the natural disaster that claimed several lives. (File photo)
Trial starts
New Zealand has kick started its criminal trial of the White Island tragedy this week. The criminal trial was brought about by WorkSafe, New Zealand’s health and safety regulator. (File photo)
The 2020 trial
The WorkSafe regulator charged 13 parties in November 2020. However, six of them, including the helicopter and boat tour operators plead guilty. Charges against the National Emergency Management Agency were also dismissed.
The 2023 criminal trial is against six parties who did not plead guilty in the 2020 trial. The two tour booking agents (ID Tours New Zealand Ltd and Tauranga Tourism Services Ltd.), the three brothers (Andrew, Peter and James Buttle) who own the island and their company Whakaari Management Ltd (WML) are facing the trial this week.
The 2023 trial
During the trial, Worksafe prosecutor Kristy McDonald maintained that, “No one is suggesting that the timing of this eruption could have been predicted but it was foreseeable that it may erupt at some point.”
Defence lawyers argued that their clients were not responsible for the health and safety of those on the island as that was the responsibility of others.
The trial is expected to take 16 weeks. A handful of victims from the eruption will also be providing first hand evidence of the tragedy that changed their lives. (File photo)
Casual day out
Tourist Annie Lu joined the trial from Australia via video link. She shared that the tourists were not warned of that the volcano was at "level two" until they were standing on the island and chances of 'heightened volcanic unrest' was high. (File photo)
No safety protocols followed
“The impression that we were given basically was that it was just a casual day out,” she said. She further added that the tourists were equipped with helmets and gas masks. However, they were not asked to wear or bring anything special besides enclosed shoes and clothing that covered them. (File photo)
No longer a tourist spot
Lauren Urey, another victim of the 2019 tragedy testified in the court earlier. During her testament, she said that they heard a loud boom as the volcano erupted.
Later, a team of elite New Zealand soldiers were sent to airlift the dead bodies from the volatile White Island volcano. Tourists are no longer allowed to visit the island. (File photo)
A scarring incident
A day that started as a casual tourist outing turned out to be agonizing and scarring for the tourists stuck at the White island.
Black clouds covered the sky. Huge pumes of ash made their way to the tourists. Strong gust of wind blew off their helmets. The volcanic eruption burned the bodies of several tourists, scarring their body forever. (File photo)
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