New Zealand volcano: tourists injured and missing after eruption on White Island

[Maofan7]

Breaking news that the Volcano on White Island has erupted.

New Zealand volcano: no survivors on White Island, police believe – as it happened

Police update follows reconnaissance flights over island, as death toll expected to rise from five

www.theguardian.com

 

[Vash01]

I am watching this on TV. Scary.

 

[genevieve]

Breaking news that the Volcano on White Island has erupted.

New Zealand volcano: no survivors on White Island, police believe – as it happened

Police update follows reconnaissance flights over island, as death toll expected to rise from five

www.theguardian.com

At the very end of the video it mentions that the volcano erupted in 2016. Kind of surprising that the island appears to be tourist spot, that seems not very long ago. Was that a much smaller eruption?

 

[antmanb]

At the very end of the video it mentions that the volcano erupted in 2016. Kind of surprising that the island appears to be tourist spot, that seems not very long ago. Was that a much smaller eruption?

I wondered the same - a very good friend of mine said he was inside that Volcano last Christmas on his trip over there.

 

[Vagabond]

At the very end of the video it mentions that the volcano erupted in 2016. Kind of surprising that the island appears to be tourist spot, that seems not very long ago. Was that a much smaller eruption?

From a contemporaneous report

A volcanic alert was raised from one to three, and ash and steam erupted from the vent on the lava dome from 2012.

The eruption was described as passive by GeoNet, meaning there were no high velocity emissions or high pressure venting.

In retrospect, today's event was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

 

[Maofan7]

At the very end of the video it mentions that the volcano erupted in 2016. Kind of surprising that the island appears to be tourist spot, that seems not very long ago. Was that a much smaller eruption?

Yes it was, but big enough to highlight that taking tourists to the island was a dangerous idea. As Vagabond points out, this was an avoidable disaster waiting to happen

 

[Winnipeg]

Agree, a catastrophe that could have been avoided.

 

[Maofan7]

New Zealand volcano: first Australian victims of White Island disaster named – as it happened

Australian PM Scott Morrison unveils repatriation effort as identities released of seven Australian and two New Zealand victims

www.theguardian.com

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

How tour groups were allowed access to an active volcano is beyond comprehension. As others have posted, this is a tragedy that could have been avoided.

 

[Winnipeg]

Well, tourists like to swim with the sharks too!?

 

[Vagabond]

How tour groups were allowed access to an active volcano is beyond comprehension. As others have posted, this is a tragedy that could have been avoided.

I'm not sure whether it has been stated in anything linked upthread, but

GeoNet, the agency that monitors geological activity in New Zealand, had reported increased activity at the volcano for several weeks, raising the warning level to 2 out of 5, while maintaining that the island was still safe for visitors.

White Island is about 30 miles out to sea. Why anyone would assume that it was "safe for visitors" is unclear to me. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The idea of visiting a volcanic island where the activity level was increased from 2 to 5, is like running into heavy traffic wearing a blindfold. Such a terrible (and avoidable) tragedy for everyone involved.

 

[Vagabond]

The article said that the activity level was increased to 2, not 5. But it has probably been increased to 5 by now.

 

[Winnipeg]

I was saddened to read today that the people who are in hospital are really badly burned. Apparently the country has had to ask for skin from the skin bank to deal with all the burns. Australia is apparently flying its citizens home for specialty care.

What a tragedy........if anyone has been burned, it is extremely painful. My only experience was a very small burn on a finger from boiling lard and wow did it hurt. I always though at the time how bad it must hurt for those who get burned more extensively.

 

[taf2002]

I read today that some of the tourists are planning to sue the cruise line. Some people always want someone else to blame when they make bad decisions. I'll bet they were warned or at least told when the last eruption happened but they went ahead & did the tour. I feel really bad for the people killed & injured but you can't fix stupid.

 

[Vagabond]

I read today that some of the tourists are planning to sue the cruise line. Some people always want someone else to blame when they make bad decisions. I'll bet they were warned or at least told when the last eruption happened but they went ahead & did the tour. I feel really bad for the people killed & injured but you can't fix stupid.

It's more likely that they signed a waiver, as is common in the adventure travel business.

 

[MacMadame]

A waiver doesn't protect a company from negligence though.

A tourist, especially one not from the area, is relying on the tour company to have good judgment.

As an example, we were on the island of Hawaii in March when Kilauea was active. We went to Volcano National Park and many parts of it were closed off for safety. I wouldn't expect to be in danger sticking to the parts that were still open and would not be happy if I got caught in a volcanic eruption during my time there. It would be different if I had snuck into the parts that were closed and then got hurt. That would be on me.

 

[Catherine M]

While getting my car repaired this morning, I saw a clip on the CBS morning show about potential lawsuits arising from what happened. Some guest was pretty sure with the waiver and NZ law, there wouldn't be a way to sue for any large amount.

I hope that this is a learning point for the cruise industry and other adventure travel entities.

Thoughts go out to all those recovering from their burns as many have a hard road ahead.

 

[Vagabond]

A waiver doesn't protect a company from negligence though

Commonly, there is a release of all liability for damages caused by the client's participation in the activity, and that would normally include negligence but not fraud or other intentional or wanton conduct.

 

[MacMadame]

Most of those waivers aren't legally enforceable. It can say anything but legally, in the US anyway, you can't sign away your rights.

 

[taf2002]

If the company warned that a volcano is unpredictable so the risk is on the tourist then I don't see any negligence on their part. No company can guarantee what nature will do. There is no way I would go into a dormant volcano & esp one that had erupted 2 yrs before. Neither would I swim with sharks. Risk takers need to take the responsibility if something goes wrong.

 

[mag]

Most of those waivers aren't legally enforceable. It can say anything but legally, in the US anyway, you can't sign away your rights.

New Zealand is a much less litigious society than the US. I am not sure their entry documentation still says this, but at one time there was written something like “NZ is not a litigious country. If you do something stupid, do not expect to be able to sue.”

Clearly I am paraphrasing, and yes, if the cruise lines miss represented the danger they could be in trouble, but assuming the participants were told of the risks and signed the waivers, I suspect they will not be successful in their legal action.

 

[Maofan7]

Authorities now expect the final death toll to reach 16

A minute’s silence will be observed at 2.11pm on Monday 16 December – exactly one week after the eruption – in honour of the victims

New Zealand volcano: 21-year-old Australian is first recovered victim to be named

Krystal Browitt was on White Island with father and sister when eruption occurred

www.theguardian.com

 

[mag]

First victim named.

New Zealand volcano: Krystal Eve Browitt named as victim — BBC News

Krystal Eve Browitt died on White Island, while her father and sister were seriously injured.

apple.news

 

[once_upon]

I read today that some of the tourists are planning to sue the cruise line. Some people always want someone else to blame when they make bad decisions. I'll bet they were warned or at least told when the last eruption happened but they went ahead & did the tour. I feel really bad for the people killed & injured but you can't fix stupid.

It's more likely that they signed a waiver, as is common in the adventure travel business.

Cruise lines depend upon the contracted tour agency to do risk management. Cruise lines will cancel an excursion if the tour company says in their assessment it is not safe.

When we were in Guatemala and climbed a volcano we were told it might not be possible depending on the conditions that day.

The cruise line does pick the type of excursions available but depends upon the tour company to assess risks for that excursion.

You do sign a waiver (or we did for our excursion in Guatemala-also a Royal Caribbean cruise which is who the cruise line in this case. I believe)

 

[MacMadame]

Cruise lines depend upon the contracted tour agency to do risk management. Cruise lines will cancel an excursion if the tour company says in their assessment it is not safe.

And when that tour company has poor judgment, there can be compensation.

My parents are traveling to Ireland this year for free because the cruise they took in Iceland had a pre-tour that was poorly operated and they were seriously injured. The cruise ship company no longer uses that tour company as well.

 

[Maofan7]

New Zealand volcano: Minute's silence marks one week after eruption

A minute's silence has been observed, a week after the eruption that killed at least 16 people.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Maofan7]

Bodies of girl & tour guide may NEVER be found in volcano rescuers admit

THE bodies of a 17-year-old girl and a tour guide that vanished after the New Zealand volano eruptioon may never be found, rescuers have admitted. Australian tourist Winona Langford, 17, and New Ze…

www.thesun.ie

 

[Maofan7]

New Zealand volcano: Police call off search for missing pair

Police said their decision "follows extensive shoreline and substantial aerial searches".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[skatingguy]

New Zealand files 13 safety charges after volcano killed 22​

New Zealand authorities have filed safety violation charges against 10 organizations and three individuals after a volcanic eruption at White Island last year killed 22 people​

By NICK PERRY Associated Press
30 November 2020, 03:04
• 3 min read

New Zealand files 13 safety charges after volcano killed 22

New Zealand authorities have filed safety violation charges against 10 organizations and three individuals after a volcanic eruption at White Island last year killed 22 people

abcnews.go.com