Judge overthrows conviction of owners of New Zealand island volcano where 22 died in an eruption - News
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The owners of an island volcano in New Zealand where 22 tourists and local guides died in an eruption had their criminal conviction for failing to keep visitors safe…
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The owners of an island volcano in New Zealand where 22 tourists and local guides…
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The owners of an island volcano in New Zealand where 22 tourists and local guides died in an eruption had their criminal conviction for failing to keep visitors safe thrown out by a judge on Friday.
The ruling absolves the company from paying millions of dollars in restitutions to the families of those bereaved in the 2019 explosion on Whakaari, also known as White Island, and two dozen seriously injured survivors. Most of the 47 people on the island were U.S. and Australian cruise ship passengers on a walking tour, along with their local guides.
The company, Whakaari Management — run by three brothers who own the active volcano on New Zealand’s North Island — appealed their convictions for breaching New Zealand’s workplace health and safety law in a three-day hearing last October at the High Court in Auckland. They were found guilty in a 2023 trial.
Responsibility for tourist safety probedThe case hinged on whether the company — which granted access to the volcano to tourism operators and scientific groups, for a fee — should have been in charge of safety practices on the island under New Zealand’s workplace health and safety laws. Anyone in charge of a workplace must ensure management of hazards and the safety of all there, including at entry and exit points.
Survivors told the trial in emotional testimony during the company’s 2023 trial that they had not been told the active volcano was dangerous when they paid to visit it. They were not supplied with protective equipment, and many were wearing clothing that made their horrific burns more damaging.
In Friday’s written ruling, Justice Simon Moore ruled the company did not have a duty under the relevant law to ensure that the walking tour workplace was without risks to health and safety. He agreed with the company’s lawyers that the firm only granted access to the bare land through permits — and should not have been legally considered an entity that managed or controlled the workplace.
The judge ruled it wasn’t unreasonable for the company to rely on tourism operators — who were licensed under New Zealand law — and emergency management and scientific agencies to assess the risks of activities on the island and manage safety precautions.
A significant case for the tourism sectorThe case had far-reaching implications and changed the laws governing New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry, which is often based around outdoor thrills on or around the country’s many natural hazards. Operators must now take all reasonable steps to inform customers of any serious risks.
The lawyers for the company said during last October’s hearing that if the conviction was allowed to stand, it would make other landowners reluctant to allow such activities to take place on their property for fear of being held responsible for the day-to-day decisions of tourism businesses operating on it — a suggestion rejected by the New Zealand’s workplace safety regulator, which brought the charges.
Justice Moore said in Friday’s ruling that a too narrow or broad interpretation of the law governing who controls a workplace could have “profound” consequences.
Others faced chargesWhite Island, the tip of an undersea volcano also known by its Māori name Whakaari, was a popular tourist destination before the eruption and was reached by boat or helicopter from the North Island’s Bay of Plenty. When the superheated steam blew in December 2019, it killed some instantly and left others with agonizing burns.
The workplace safety regulator brought charges against a number of parties — including the company run by Andrew, Peter and James Buttle.
Six entities pleaded guilty in 2022 and 2023 to the charges they faced, including five tour companies and New Zealand’s geoscience research institute, which monitors active volcanoes.
Charges were dismissed against the Buttle brothers individually, along with two tourism logistics firms and the government emergency management agency.
In March, those convicted were ordered to pay a combined total of just over 10 million New Zealand dollars ($5.6 million) in restitutions to the bereaved families and survivors. Almost half of that was due to be paid by Whakaari Management Limited.
The company filed its appeal the same month.
In his ruling, Justice Moore said he had not overlooked or minimized the “unquantifiable tragedy” of the episode.
“The 47 people who were on Whakaari at the time it erupted should never have been there,” he wrote. The fact that they were revealed “multiple systemic failures.”
The case, however, was decided on the particular law and facts and boiled down to relatively narrow legal questions, he added.
Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
While there are still a few more weeks of winter, warmer temperatures are sweeping the U.S. Data from the nonprofit Climate Central shows that over the past few decades, temperatures in spring have been rising steadily, bringing with it a host of challenges. CBS News national correspondent Dave Malkoff reports.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The former TOWIE star, 38, has spoken about about fatherhood and his nerves as a first time dad.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
New Mexico police say the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife appear suspicious enough to warrant a full investigation. The 911 caller says they found the couples' bodies in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday. CBS News reporter Karen Hua reports.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Apprentice is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and it's been reported that a new celebrity edition will be released by the BBC to mark the special occasion
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has defended his behavior at the White House, claiming he was unsure whether he had done anything “bad”
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Former One Direction star Liam Payne is set to receive a poignant tribute at this year's Brit Awards, with a video montage celebrating his incredible life and career
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
New Jersey (KYW) — Kingda Ka, once the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, is now a pile of rubble after it wasRead More
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 — Kingda Ka, once the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, is now a pile of rubble after it wasRead More %23kingdaka) |
|
|
How Dragon Ball Daima ended its story.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Here's everywhere to stream the 2025 Brit Awards online in the U.S., including watching the Brits with a free trial to ExpressVPN.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Claudia Winkleman was seen stepping in for Graham Norton on the penultimate series of his BBC chat show - as fans were left asking the same thing on social media
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Everything will be peachy as long as we keep toddler Trump happy, and as there are no depths our diminished country wonâ??t plumb to win his approval, hereâ??s Brian Reade's plan to win him over
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Paloma Faith delighted fans when she took position in a humble garden to 'recreate' her iconic performance of Only Love Can Hurt Like This from the 2015 BRIT Awards
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The deal with the small South Pacific nation is another marker on the board in the Pacific for China, causing concerns abroad and prompting protests at home.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Follow the latest news headlines from Australia's most trusted source. Read in-depth expert analysis and watch live coverage on ABC News.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Legislators of New Zealand are now looking over a proposed amendment that would change the online betting scene of the nation. The legislation under issue aims to name TAB New Zealand as the sole supplier of internet sports and racing betting. Advocates of this action think that a state-owned system would improve control of regulations […]
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.