![]() ![]() The trial of six remaining defendants (three individual owners of the island and three tour operating companies) commenced on 11 July 2023. As of July 2023, the charges against two government agencies have been dismissed or dropped and five tour operators have pled guilty to health and safety charges. įollowing the eruption, investigations resulted in WorkSafe New Zealand charging the owners of the island and multiple tour operators as well as government and scientific agencies under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 for failing to ensure the health and safety of workers and others. Įxperts identified the event as a phreatic eruption: a release of steam and volcanic gases that caused an explosion, launching rock and ash into the air. Continuing seismic and volcanic activity, together with heavy rainfall, low visibility and the presence of toxic gases, hampered recovery efforts over the week following the incident. A further 25 people suffered injuries, with the majority needing intensive care for severe burns. Twenty-two people died, either in the explosion or from injuries sustained, including two whose bodies were never found and were later declared dead. The island was a popular tourist destination, known for its volcanic activity, and 47 people were on the island at the time. On 9 December 2019, Whakaari / White Island, an active stratovolcano island in New Zealand's northeastern Bay of Plenty region, explosively erupted.
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