Owners of New Zealand volcano that fatally erupted deny responsibility for visitor safety

White Island/Whakaari volcano exploded in 2019, prompting debate over natural hazard tourism

The landowners of a New Zealand volcano that fatally erupted in 2019 have rejected arguments from the country’s workplace safety regulator that they ultimately managed and controlled activities on the island and bore legal responsibility for whether visitors to it were safe.

When White Island/Whakaari exploded on 9 December 2019, 22 people were killed – 17 of them Australians – with 25 others injured. It prompted renewed debate about controls for natural hazard tourism in New Zealand.

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