New Zealand Charges 13 Parties Over Deaths At White Island Volcano

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Recovery workers are seen at New Zealand’s White Island last December. A volcanic eruption on the island killed 22 people and has led to work safety charges against tour operators.





New Zealand Defence Force/ via Getty Images



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New Zealand Defence Force/ via Getty Images



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WorkSafe charged 13 parties in Auckland District Court — 10 organizations and three people. Nine of the groups are charged with failing to ensure the health and safety of workers and others, while the other is charged with failing to control a workplace. Each of those charges carries a maximum fine of more than $1 million.

The three individuals face smaller fines, charged under a provision that requires people «with significant influence over a company to exercise due diligence in meeting health and safety obligations.

WorkSafe has not named any of the parties, noting they have a right to ask for their names to be suppressed at their first court appearance.

White Island, which is also known by its Maori name, Whakaari, is the peak of a huge submarine volcano, rising more than 1,000 feet out of waters of the Bay of Plenty. The island is roughly 30 miles off of New Zealand’s north-northeast coast.

Those who were on the island at the time of the eruption included nine Americans and 24 Australians. Other visitors’ home countries included China, Malaysia, Germany, the U.K. and New Zealand.

The work safety charges are not related to the response that ensued after the eruption, such as rescue and recovery operations. WorkSafe says it didn’t investigate that part of the incident.

«Those actions may be the subject of other proceedings, such as a coronial inquest, the agency says.