Tourists visiting the active volcano on White Island in New Zealand were caught in a sudden explosive eruption. 5 dead, 20 injured, and about 25 or so unaccounted for at this point.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50708727

A volcano has erupted in New Zealand, leaving five people dead and several unaccounted for, police have said.

Tourists were seen walking inside the crater of White Island volcano moments before Monday's eruption.

Twenty-three people have been rescued, but it is unclear how many people remained on the island. Police say aerial reconnaissance flights have not identified any sign of life there.

White Island, also called Whakaari, is the country's most active volcano.

Despite that, the privately owned island is a tourist destination with frequent day tours and scenic flights available.



Police have said fewer than 50 people were on the island when the volcano erupted. Deputy Police Commissioner John Tims told reporters that "both New Zealand and overseas tourists" were believed to be involved.

Rescuers are not able to reach the island because of the risk of further eruptions, he added. It is currently night time in the area.

Some of those injured are in a critical condition, Radio New Zealand reported.

The eruption of White Island began at about 14:11 local time (01:11 GMT).

Visitor Michael Schade - who was on a boat leaving the island after a morning tour - filmed a thick plume of ash and smoke as the volcano erupted.

He told the BBC he was at the crater just 30 minutes before the eruption.

"It was still safe-ish but they were trying to limit the group sizes [of people visiting the volcano]."

Describing the eruption, he said: "We had just got on the boat... then someone pointed it out and we saw it. I was basically just shocked. The boat turned back and we grabbed some people that were waiting on the pier."

Another witness, Brazilian Allessandro Kauffmann, narrowly missed the eruption.

"There were two tours that went to this volcano today. One of them was ours, which was the first. We left five minutes before the volcano erupted," he posted on Instagram in Portuguese.

"This other tour that arrived right after, unfortunately they did not manage to leave in time, and there were some people that suffered serious burns."

A live feed from the volcano showed a group of visitors inside the crater before images went dark.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: "I know there will be a huge amount of concern and anxiety for those who have loved ones at the island at that time - and I can assure them police are doing everything they can."

She said falling ash was hampering attempts by rescuers to get to the site.

The New Zealand Defence Force is now helping the rescue operation. A military plane has carried out surveillance and two helicopters and personnel are ready to assist.

Police initially said there were 100 people on or near the island, but later revised down the number to 50.

Some of them were passengers from the Ovation of the Seas, a cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean. It is currently at port in Tauranga, a coastal city near White Island.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians had "been caught up in this terrible event", adding that authorities were "working to determine their wellbeing".

On 3 December, geological hazard monitoring website GeoNet warned "the volcano may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal", although it added "the current level of activity does not pose a direct hazard to visitors".

University of Auckland associate professor Jan Lindsay said the alert level was recently raised from one to two. "There was a heightened level of unrest and everyone was aware," she said.

"[The volcano] has a persistently active hydrothermal system... if gases build up under a block of clay or mud they can be released quite suddenly," Prof Lindsay said.

"It's possible that there's no magma involved, that it's just a phreatic eruption - a steam eruption. We don't know yet."

When asked if visitors should have been on the island, Prof Lindsay said: "It's a difficult question. It's often in a state of heightened unrest.

"It's a privately owned island and with lots of private tour operators. It is not part of the conservation estate - and so not under government control.

"GNS [New Zealand's geoscience institute] put out their alert bulletins and have good communication with tour companies, and they know what the risk is. "

White Island has seen several eruptions over the years, most recently in 2016, but no-one was hurt.

Seismologist Ken Gledhill said: "It was kind of almost like a throat-clearing kind of eruption - and that's why material probably won't have made it to mainland New Zealand.

"It went up about 12,000 metres into the sky and so... on the scheme of things for volcanic eruptions it's not large, but if you were close to that, it is not good."

“It was still safe-ish but they were trying to limit the group sizes [of people visiting the volcano].”

“Safe-ish”‽ All right, then; no problem.

“[O]n the scheme of things for volcanic eruptions it's not large, but if you were close to that, it is not good.”

’zat so? Glad we got that cleared up.

Go see an active volcano... and the odds of getting killed by an active volcano increase DRAMATICALLY!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Go see an active volcano... and the odds of getting killed by an active volcano increase DRAMATICALLY!!!!

Shocking revelation, isn't it?.

I’d not even be interested in flying over one. Crate Lake, Tahoe, etc. Sure, they’re beautiful, especially from a two or three thousand AGL. Active volcanos? Hard pass.

I'll watch from the safety of my monitor

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
“It was still safe-ish but they were trying to limit the group sizes [of people visiting the volcano].”

“Safe-ish”‽ All right, then; no problem.

“[O]n the scheme of things for volcanic eruptions it's not large, but if you were close to that, it is not good.”

’zat so? Glad we got that cleared up.

It's part of their overall mentality towards liability. Which is why Queensland developed as the adventure capital of the world.
Legal system is such that the families of those killed in this incident will get nothing should they attempt to bring suit. I personally prefer it to the Bloomberg Big Gulp mentality here.

That's like going to Afghanistan to check out guns. No thanks.

I can see Mt Rainier from where I live. If it goes up, I’m probably screwed. That’s more than close enough for me. Walking around inside the crater of an active volcano? No, I’m good, thanks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
Were these unfortunate tourists celebrities, or just average Joes?

Just your average cruise ship tourists, evidently. Apparently, the stop to see the volcano up close and personal in a regular occurrence.

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:
I personally prefer it to the Bloomberg Big Gulp mentality here.

Oh, I do too.

I’ve traveled many places like that, but Iceland 30+ years ago stands out. When visiting one of the many spectacular waterfalls and standing near the edge of a sheer drop a long ways down to the river, I noticed that a large piece of the edge farther up had partially separated from the main, leaving a substantial crevice between the two. No guardrails, no warning signs, and certainly no entry prohibitions.

On my personal "ways I might die" list, volcanic eruption doesn't make the top 100. Unless you count that one time with the bad Mexican, I guess...

Some people are less sensitive to the risk than you are...

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
I’d not even be interested in flying over one. Crate Lake, Tahoe, etc. Sure, they’re beautiful, especially from a two or three thousand AGL. Active volcanos? Hard pass.

Like people on Hawaii living next to a Valcano and are surprised to wake up one morning with lava running though the living room.

“Emeritus Professor Ray Cas, from Monash University, said that it has been 'a disaster waiting to happen for many years'.

'I have always felt that it was too dangerous to allow the daily tour groups that visit the uninhabited island volcano by boat and helicopter,' he said.”

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:
I personally prefer it to the Bloomberg Big Gulp mentality here.

Oh, I do too.

I’ve traveled many places like that, but Iceland 30+ years ago stands out. When visiting one of the many spectacular waterfalls and standing near the edge of a sheer drop a long ways down to the river, I noticed that a large piece of the edge farther up had partially separated from the main, leaving a substantial crevice between the two. No guardrails, no warning signs, and certainly no entry prohibitions.

I used to get an Iceland newsletter. Can't tell you the times I read in that newsletter, where tourist fell to their deaths getting too close to waterfalls and slippery trails near cliffs.

The locals hate the tourists in Iceland , believe it or not, many tourists, especially from Europe will encamp on peoples lawns without asking to save money from the skyhigh hotel prices.

And many other things, driving on the wrong side of the road, etc.

Like people on Hawaii living next to a Valcano and are surprised to wake up one morning with lava running though the living room.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:


"on the scheme of things for volcanic eruptions it's not large, but if you were close to that, it is not good."

The waiting is over, mark December 9 for the latest entry on record to win for "Understatement of the Year" 2019.

I guess I’m the odd man out. When I visited Costa Rica many years ago I visited several volcanos, 4 or 5 inactive and one actively erupting. We were real close, watched the lava bombs and flows all night. It was quite an incredible experience. I also saw hot bubbling mud, geisers, fumarales (poisonous sulfur gas violently expelled from openings in the ground), and swan in hot springs. The power of the earth is incredible and quite humbling.

quote:

can see Mt Rainier from where I live. If it goes up, I’m probably screwed. That’s more than close enough for me. Walking around inside the crater of an active volcano? No, I’m good, thanks.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge, December 09, 2019 10:49 AM

You and several million other people

Rainer is a nightmare in the making. Let there be no doubt.

It reminds of the Comanches on the plateaus surrounding the wagon train banging the war drum.

It is just a matter of time.