Eruption at Whakaari/White Island, Bay of Plenty

[bob10]

One dead, up to 20 injured.


Eruption at Whakaari / White Island (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/eruption-at-whakaari-white-island/ar-BBXXzef?ocid=spartandhp)

[bob10]

Update. Tourists from a cruise liner berthed at Tauranga are among the injured


One critically injured, others missing after NZ volcanic eruption (https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2019/12/09/white-island-eruption-nz/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PM%20Extra%20-%2020191209)

[bob10]

Why White island erupted, and why there was no warning.


Why White Island erupted and why there was no warning (https://theconversation.com/why-white-island-erupted-and-why-there-was-no-warning-128550?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20 for%20December%2010%202019%20-%201482714087&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20f or%20December%2010%202019%20-%201482714087+CID_7ef87495d461b3c0d4391848239fad93&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Why%20White%20Island%20erupted%20and%20wh y%20there%20was%20no%20warning)

[JDNSW]

Talking to my niece this morning - she did that tour three weeks ago.......

[RANDLOVER]

I thought this island volcano seemed familiar, I'd seen it on "Coast New Zealand" on SBS I think, the last time it blew up the only survivor was the miner's cat, actually I think the eruption caused a tremor which caused the fatal landslide. Really saddening that this has happened again.


"Attempts were first made to mine sulfur on White Island around the beginning of the 20th century. On 10 September 1914, 10 miners were killed when part of the crater wall collapsed, causing a landslide.The only survivor was the mining company’s cat, Peter the Great. Sulfur was used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid and superphosphate fertiliser." (sic)
Eruption on White Island kills 10 people | NZHistory, New Zealand history online (https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/eruption-white-island-kills-10-people)

[bob10]

If there is anything to be learned from this terrible experience , or should I say re-learned , is we never know what lays ahead. keep your loved ones close. Catch up on old friends, do a complete stranger a good turn. A smile costs nothing and hurts no one. Life is short, live it well.

[Barraman]

R
If there is anything to be learned from this terrible experience , or should I say re-learned , is we never know what lays ahead. keep your loved ones close. Catch up on old friends, do a complete stranger a good turn. A smile costs nothing and hurts no one. Life is short, live it well.

Don’t walk around in the crater of an active volcano!

[bob10]

R

Don’t walk around in the crater of an active volcano!

That too. Edit. Probably not the right moment to say it out loud.

[Barraman]

That too. Edit. Probably not the right moment to say it out loud.

I disagree! These things should be said when they are most likely to get into peoples heads.

I know White Is - have flown past it at low level on a number of occasions when living in NZ in the 80's. There is NOTHING that would induce me to set foot on it.

If someone has the right information and appreciates the risk involved with an activity, and makes an informed decision to do so anyway - then fair enough. However, in this case I don't believe the tourists had sufficient information to make an informed decision. They put their trust in the tour operator.

There is a video of the volcano spewing steam and ash from the crater 4 days before the big eruption.

I am not risk averse, and indulge in a number of activities that others might see as "risky", but I know that I have all the information I need to make an informed decision about the risk and how to manage it to my satisfaction.

If all the facts were known, I doubt that activity would have passed the most basic risk assessment.

[bob10]

I disagree! These things should be said when they are most likely to get into peoples heads.

I know White Is - have flown past it at low level on a number of occasions when living in NZ in the 80's. There is NOTHING that would induce me to set foot on it.

If someone has the right information and appreciates the risk involved with an activity, and makes an informed decision to do so anyway - then fair enough. However, in this case I don't believe the tourists had sufficient information to make an informed decision. They put their trust in the tour operator.

There is a video of the volcano spewing steam and ash from the crater 4 days before the big eruption.

If all the facts were known, I doubt that activity would have passed the most basic risk assessment.


Yes, it's spoken of , quietly , around the place. There is a Police investigation on at this moment. We should leave it up to them.

[Barraman]

"Yes, it's spoken of , quietly , around the place"


Indeed!

Generally in the aftermath of a tragedy - and there in lies the problem!

[bob10]

People are showing respect for the families of the deceased, let the proper authorities deal with the investigation.

[Barraman]

People are showing respect for the families of the deceased, let the proper authorities deal with the investigation.

Please desist with trying to impose your moral/ethical compass on me - it’s offensive!

[bob10]

Please desist with trying to impose your moral/ethical compass on me - it’s offensive!

You just nailed your colours to the mast. Goodbye.

[bob10]

It's not over yet.


Search resumes for two bodies remaining on volatile NZ volcano (https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2019/12/14/white-island-body-recovery/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Saturday%20News%20-%2020191214)

[ramblingboy42]

R

Don’t walk around in the crater of an active volcano!

I did , a few weeks ago in Nicaragua , a few years in Dominica, and sat back in Bali earlier because I didnt know you could drive right up to the caldera

I would love to do white island.

[Barraman]

I did , a few weeks ago in Nicaragua , a few years in Dominica, and sat back in Bali earlier because I didnt know you could drive right up to the caldera
I would love to do white island.

I assume that you were fully aware of the risks and accepted them.

I don't believe that many, if any, of the 46 people on White Is last Monday were in the same position.

[Pickles2]

I assume that you were fully aware of the risks and accepted them.

I don't believe that many, if any, of the 46 people on White Is last Monday were in the same position.
I'm sure you're correct.
But, I reckon that once they arrived on the Island, they might have had a few "thoughts". Apparently, even getting of the "launch" at the dilapidated Island "Jetty" was pretty average, and then walking to the crater, people were told to stay on the track, as there were steam jets, hot air, vapour etc etc shooting off all around the track. Never seen it myself of course, and of course once you're there, it's too late for second thoughts.
My wife has been trying to get me on a cruise, she's a bit of a "thrill seeker", done free fall parachute jumping & other stuff, she said if she'd have been on this cruise, she knows I would not have gone to the Island, but 100% she would have, so I could've been in the same situation as those poor souls who waved their loved ones off the liner, then never to see them alive again,...very very sad.
Pickles.

[Geedublya]

Often we have an assumption, especially in a developed nation, that a commercial operation has done all the risk analysis and the activity is safe. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I suspect the visitors to White Island weren't informed of the risks which is a tragedy but the operator has being the tours for years and probably became a little complacent.

[JDNSW]

Often we have an assumption, especially in a developed nation, that a commercial operation has done all the risk analysis and the activity is safe. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I suspect the visitors to White Island weren't informed of the risks which is a tragedy but the operator has being the tours for years and probably became a little complacent.

A niece of mine did this tour about three or four weeks ago. She tells me that the release she had to sign before boarding the boat made it abundantly clear how risky it was. If this is correctly reported to me, rather than being 'wise after the event', is is clear that the visitors were informed, and in writing, and signed to say they were informed.

[Geedublya]

A niece of mine did this tour about three or four weeks ago. She tells me that the release she had to sign before boarding the boat made it abundantly clear how risky it was. If this is correctly reported to me, rather than being 'wise after the event', is is clear that the visitors were informed, and in writing, and signed to say they were informed.

Thanks for the clarification.

[W&KO]

A niece of mine did this tour about three or four weeks ago. She tells me that the release she had to sign before boarding the boat made it abundantly clear how risky it was. If this is correctly reported to me, rather than being 'wise after the event', is is clear that the visitors were informed, and in writing, and signed to say they were informed.

Good to see there was something in place.


Be interesting to know how many actually read the waiver/disclaimer....I reckon most would have gone straight to the signature block.

No different the the many other forms people sign without reading the fine print than don’t accept the consequence after the fact.

[Hall]

Got back home after being away with work. Wife told me that her sister and husband where on that cruise. But thankfully did not participate in the volcano excursion. They took another option that day. But of course my wife did not know this at first and it took some time for her to find out what there situation was. As it turns out there where some sign that the volcano was stirring before the eruption. The threat level had been raised to two a week or more before, which meant the tours could have been suspended. This is only advisory though not enforced. Tour company just made a bad call.
Cheers Hall

[bob10]

Often we have an assumption, especially in a developed nation, that a commercial operation has done all the risk analysis and the activity is safe. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I suspect the visitors to White Island weren't informed of the risks which is a tragedy but the operator has being the tours for years and probably became a little complacent.

Can't happen. The cruise ship company bear ultimate responsibility. An American cruise ship company would not put itself in a position to be sued. Any cruise ship company. No tourist would have gone to the island without signing a release. In the end, everyone who went was responsible for their actions. Any one been bungy jumping in NZ ?

[DiscoMick]

I imagine that Royal Caribbean will flick pass responsibility to White Island Tours and say the victims signed an agreement with that company and Royal Caribbean bears no responsibility.
It's going to devastate the local tourism industry in a poor area with high unemployment.