Emergency services attend to an injured person after the volcanic eruption in December.
Many were carried off with horrific injuries, including extensive external and internal burns from the explosion that sent steam, ash and gases hurtling from the caldera. New Zealand authorities on Nov 18 raised the Volcanic Alert Level for White Island from Level 1 to Level 2 – the highest level before an explosion.
“At the very least they should’ve informed their tour participants of the risk and let them decide if they wanted to take the risk,” Yousef told AFP. However, Yousef said the Australians caught up in the disaster had ongoing costs and losses that would likely far exceed those payments.