Eruption at Whakaari/White Island, Bay of Plenty

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Originally Posted by JDNSW

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.

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Thanks for the clarification.

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Originally Posted by JDNSW

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.

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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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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 ?

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.