Judge Evangelos Thomas has strongly criticized what he described as “remarkable failures” on the part of Whakaari Management Limited (WML), the company responsible for licensing tours to Whakaari, New Zealand’s most active volcano. This case is the most significant legal action initiated by New Zealand’s regulator, Worksafe NZ.
WML could potentially face fines of up to NZ$1.5 million ($928,000; £724,000) in connection with the tragic eruption that occurred in December 2019. This eruption claimed the lives of 22 individuals, with the majority of the victims being tourists, including 17 from Australia and three from the United States. An additional 25 people sustained injuries, many of them suffering severe burns.
Prior to the fatal eruption, the volcano, known as Whakaari in Māori, had exhibited signs of heightened unrest for several weeks. It had been in a state of eruption, to varying degrees, since 2011.
A total of thirteen parties were charged in connection with the disaster. WML was the final entity to receive a verdict, with six others pleading guilty and six having their charges dismissed. Sentences for the various parties involved will be determined in February.