White Island volcano: Tour operators ordered to pay millions to victims

Tour operators have been ordered to pay NZ$10m (£4.8m) in compensation to the victims of the White Island volcano disaster, that killed 22 people. 

A New Zealand court said the firms, which owned the island and operated tours, failed to provide proper checks and had ruined many lives. 

In December 2019, 47 people were touring the volcano when it erupted, killing nearly half of the group and gravely injuring everyone else. 

The firms had been found guilty last year of negligence and safety breaches. 

The court said the volcano had been showing signs of heightened activity in the weeks leading up to the eruption but operators ignored these. 

The company – Whakaari Management Limited – will now have to pay the damages to victims. 

The court also ordered White Island Tours – the company which had brought the tourist to the island for a walking tour, to pay NZ$4.68m in reparations.

Three other tour companies, Volcanic Air Safaris, Aerius Limited and Kahu NZ Limited, were also ordered to pay damages.