Update - Ovation of the Sea & White Island Volcano - Warnings had been issued!

As the dust settles over Whakaari - White Island, New Zealand, questions we asked in our piece “Ovation of the Seas passengers killed in New Zealand volcano” are beginning to be answered. Were there warnings based on seismic activity and if so why were they ignored? 

We know that 16 people have perished and many more have been injured, some with burns over 80 percent of their body. Media reports are sharing their stories of surviving the eruption.

Recovery personnel landed on the island on 10 December and found a moon like ash covering the island. As of 11 December, no bodies have been recovered.

Seismic Warnings Issued for White Island

The sad truth of the matter is that GeoNet - who issues updates on geological hazards affecting New Zealand had issued warnings of increased seismic activity each week for the three weeks prior to the eruption. 

“Moderate volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island, with substantial gas, steam and mud bursts observed at the vent located at the back of the crater lake. Other monitoring parameters remain elevated and the Volcanic Alert Level stays at Level 2.”

One week prior - New Zealand’s GeoNet

“Volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island and some monitored parameters show further increases in activity. Hazards on the island are now greater than during the past few weeks, and the Volcanic Alert Level is raised to Level 2. “

Three weeks prior 18 November - New Zealand’s GeoNet

Which begs the question, why did White Island Tours, who had three boats at or near White Island, ignore the advisories.

Their response, “GNS do the monitoring, and they advise us if there are any changes, and we operate around their guidelines in terms of what levels are stipulated. Level 3 and above we liaise more directly with GNS but that level 2 is still within our operational guidelines.”

So they didn’t ignore the advisories, they just didn’t view the advisories as anything special. White Island Tours has adjusted their website landing page, acknowledging they are dealing with an emergency.

Is Royal Caribbean International partially to blame?

The Ovation of the Seas port stop in Tauranga offered multiple shore excursions to their passengers, and on 04 December they offered this excursion, but sometime between then and now they removed their page (see image left side).

If the passengers were on the RCI availed excursion, the question they have for the cruise line is what level of monitoring was being conducted before sending their passengers into danger? It is doubtful that the shore excursion personnel on Ovation of the Seas were monitoring GeoNet.

Those passengers who were visiting the island on a none-cruise arranged shore excursion were very much on their own to conduct the due diligence on whether or not a tour to the island was safe.

The Ovation of the Seas stayed in port two extra days, and is now on its way to the next port of call, Wellington, NZ. Here’s the ship’s current location via VessleFinder.

A private island: Whakaari - White Island

Whakaari - White Island is privately owned and not a part of any national park or under the oversight of any governmental entity. The owners of the island charge tour operators for the opportunity to bring the approximately 20,000 visitors to the volcano each year. The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is located within a national park and the park was closed in the days preceding the volcanic eruption, reducing the likelihood that an unsuspecting tourist would be caught in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Did the tour operators put their profit ahead of safety?

That question will no doubt be answered in due time, the government of New Zealand has pledged an investigation and no doubt lawsuits will be filed by the victims against the owners of Whakaari - White Island and White Island Tours.

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