Court orders millions in compensation for White Island volcano eruption victims. What had happened?

A tragic chapter in the history of New Zealand's White Island volcano reached a semblance of closure as a court mandated NZ$10 million in compensation to the victims of the calamitous eruption that killed an injured several tourists in 2019.

The court ordered Whakaari Management Limited, the company managing the island, to pay NZ$4.57 million in damages, while White Island Tours, responsible for conducting tours to the site, was instructed to pay NZ$4.68 million in reparations.

Additionally, three other tour operators were held accountable for their roles in the tragedy, highlighting the collective failure to ensure visitor safety.

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Whakaari Management was also fined NZ$978,000 for violating workplace safety laws. While individual criminal prosecutions against the firm's owners were dropped last year, the episode prompted scrutiny of regulatory oversight, notably criticising WorkSafe NZ for lapses in monitoring activities on the island leading up to the eruption.

The disaster, which took place in December 2019, claimed the lives of 22 individuals and left the remaining 25 tourists with severe injuries. It was one of the darkest days in the country's tourism industry.

Last year, the firms overseeing operations on the island faced legal repercussions for their negligence and safety oversights, which directly contributed to the catastrophic event. The Auckland District Court's ruling highlighted the dire consequences of thefailure to heed warning signs of heightened volcanic activity.

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Judge Evangelos Thomas, delivering the ruling on Friday (March 1), underscored the magnitude of the suffering endured by the victims and their families, stating that the awarded compensation was "no more than a token recognition" of their anguish.

He also acknowledged the profound emotional and physical toll inflicted upon survivors, many of whom continue to grapple with the aftermath, enduring painful recoveries and disfigurement.

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Families of the deceased shared heart-wrenching testimonies. Among them, the mother of Hayden Marshall-Inman, a tour guide tragically killed in the eruption, expressed the profound void left by her son's untimely death, illustrating the lasting impact on those left behind.

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"When Hayds died on White Island, a part of me died. My heart carries the loss of him day and night," she said. Tourism activities on White Island remain suspended since the disaster.

(With inputs from agencies)