Overview

• Whakaari Management, the New Zealand firm that managed White Island, which erupted in 2019 causing 22 deaths and 25 severe injuries, has been found guilty of not adequately protecting visitors.
• The court's judgement identified a failure to properly assess the risks to visitors and to provide necessary protective equipment as major lapses by the company.
• This tragic incident, which mostly affected tourists including 17 Australians and three Americans, led to the suspension of boat and aircraft tours to the island.
• Throughout the trial, it was revealed that Whakaari Management amassed around NZ$1 million a year from tourists before the deadly disaster.
• This is considered the largest action of its kind by New Zealand's regulator, Worksafe NZ, who initiated the case against 13 parties, resulting in six guilty pleas and one guilty verdict against Whakaari Management.
• Whakaari Management, along with the six guilty parties, face fines of up to NZ$1.5 million and will be sentenced in February.