New Zealand says there's "no easy process" after charges laid over White Island volcano tragedy

Record ID: 1589038

  • Title: New Zealand says there's "no easy process" after charges laid over White Island volcano tragedy
  • Date: 30th November 2020
  • Summary: OFF WHITE ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND (FILE - DECEMBER 12, 2019) (REUTERS) SMOKE SPEWING FROM VOLCANO WHAKATANE, NEW ZEALAND (DECEMBER 12, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE HUGGING SIGN AND FLOWERS AT MEMORIAL ON FENCE
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2020 07:18
  • Keywords: Jacinda Ardern New Zealand Whakaari White Island Worksafe charges eruption volcano
  • Location: WELLINGTON, WHAKATANE, WHITE ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
  • City: WELLINGTON, WHAKATANE, WHITE ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
  • Country: New Zealand
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Disaster/Accidents,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA004D6RBY2V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday (November 30) that there was "no easy process from here" after the country's workplace regulator charged 13 parties over the volcanic eruption on White Island in 2019 which killed 22 people.
    A surprise eruption on the White Island, also known by its Maori name of Whakaari, on Dec 9 last year, killed 22 people and injured dozens.
    Majority of them were tourists from countries like Australia, the United States and Malaysia who were part of a cruise ship that was travelling around New Zealand. There were 47 people on the island when the volcano erupted.
    Worksafe, New Zealand's primary regulator for workplace related incidents, said in a news conference earlier on Monday its investigations found 13 parties had not met their health and safety obligations in taking the tourists to the White island.
    Ardern said that all New Zealanders thoughts were with those impacted by this "horrific tragedy".
    Mark Inman, the brother of victim Hayden Marshall Inman, told TVNZ he was disappointed in criminal charges being laid, as he believed the tragedy to be accidental.
    (Production: James Redmayne)
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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