New Zealand court overturns conviction of White Island owners over volcanic eruption

By Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - A New Zealand court has overturned the conviction of the company that owns Whakaari/White Island over the 2019 volcanic eruption that killed 22 people, ruling that it did not have control over the site.

According to a report by The New Zealand Herald on Friday, the High Court quashed the conviction against Whakaari Management Ltd. (WML), owned by brothers Andrew, James, and Peter Buttle, after determining the company was not responsible for managing or controlling the island but merely owned the land.

Justice Simon Moore found that the responsibility for safety fell on tour operators and other entities, including the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS), which monitored volcanic activity, the report said.

The company was initially found guilty in 2023 of failing to ensure the safety of those on the island and was fined over NZ$1 million ($0.56 million), with an additional NZ$4.88 million in reparation payments. WML appealed, arguing it had no direct role in overseeing the commercial walking tours that operated under licenses granted to tourism companies.

The eruption on Dec. 9, 2019, occurred while 47 people—mostly tourists—were on the island, leaving 22 dead and 25 seriously injured.