New Zealand marks White Island volcano eruption anniversary
- The Whakaari eruption killed 22, mostly tourists from Australia and other countries including China, on an outing from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas
- PM Jacinda Ardern described it as ‘devastating’. Last month, charges were filed against 13 parties for not meeting health and safety obligations
White Island, New Zealand’s most active volcano, lies 48km offshore from Whakatane, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. There were 47 people on the privately owned island when the volcano erupted at 2.11pm on December 9, exploding twice in quick succession and spewing plumes of ash up to 12,000 feet into the air.
Twenty-two people were killed and a further 25 were injured, with nearly all survivors struggling with severe and long-term injuries.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the community of Whakatane and thanked those that “flew directly into danger” to help those on the island.
“In a nation that had experienced so much loss and pain in recent times, 9 December 2019 was devastating,” she said at a commemoration event.
The “extraordinarily challenging event” impacted everyone personally and deeply, Ardern said. “The impacts of this eruption were felt here on our shores … but it was also felt acutely abroad too. Most of those on the island that day were visitors.”
The majority were tourists from countries like Australia, the United States, Britain, China, Germany and Malaysia who were on the Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas cruise ship that was travelling around New Zealand.