The owners of the White Island volcano in New Zealand had their criminal conviction for failing to keep visitors safe after a deadly eruption in 2019 thrown out by a judge. The ruling means the company, Whakaari Management, is no longer required to pay millions of dollars in restitution to the families of those killed and injured in the explosion. Most of the victims were U.S. and Australian tourists on a walking tour on the active volcano.
The case centered on whether the company should have been responsible for safety practices on the island under New Zealand’s workplace health and safety laws. The judge ruled that the company did not have a duty to ensure the workplace was safe, as they only granted access to the land through permits and did not control the day-to-day operations.
The ruling has changed laws governing New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry, requiring operators to inform customers of serious risks. The workplace safety regulator brought charges against multiple parties involved, with six entities pleading guilty and others having charges dismissed.
While the judge acknowledged the tragedy of the eruption and the systemic failures that led to it, he stated that the case was decided based on specific legal questions. The ruling has sparked debate about the responsibilities of landowners in allowing risky activities to take place on their property.
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