Negligent tour operator found guilty over 2019 New Zealand volcano eruption disaster

A New Zealand tour company has been convicted for not adequately "reducing risk" to 22 individuals who lost their lives in the White Island volcano eruption tragedy in 2019.

As reported by BBC, the presiding judge criticized what he described as "remarkable lapses" by Whakaari Management Limited (WML), the company responsible for authorizing tours to the island.

This lawsuit represents the largest legal action of its kind initiated by New Zealand's regulatory authority, Worksafe NZ, and WML could potentially face fines of up to NZ$1.5 million ($928,000).

The eruption in December 2019 claimed the lives of 22 individuals, nearly half of the island's visitors at the time, with the majority being tourists, including 17 from Australia and three from the US. An additional 25 individuals suffered injuries, many of them sustaining severe burns.

The volcano, known by its Māori name Whakaari, had exhibited signs of heightened activity for several weeks before the fatal eruption. As New Zealand's most active volcano, it had been in some state of eruption since 2011.

Thirteen parties faced charges in connection with the disaster, with WML being the last to receive a verdict, following six guilty pleas and the dismissal of charges against six others.