Weatherboy

Weatherboy Weather News, Maps, RADAR, Satellite, and Forecasts.

White Island Volcano Erupts, Killing Tourists

by -

White Island is a volcanic island located off the east coast of New Zealand's northern island, The only way to access it is by helicopter or boat. Image: Weatherboy
White Island is a volcanic island located off the east coast of New Zealand’s northern island, The only way to access it is by helicopter or boat. Image: Weatherboy



Billed as one of the world’s most active volcanoes to visit, White Island, also known as Whakaari Island, erupted yesterday, sending a plume of hot debris and ash up into the air and onto visiting tourists, killing many in the process. White Island is an active andesite stratovolcano, located off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of Plenty. It is New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, and has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years. Most of the tourists visiting the volcano at the time were from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas ship; a list of missing guests include many Americans who were vacationing on the Australia and New Zealand cruise.

This is the site where eruption victims ran to, seeking boats to take them away to safety. Unfortunately, many perished on the island in the eruption. Image: Weatherboy
This is the site where eruption victims ran to, seeking boats to take them away to safety. Unfortunately, many perished on the island in the eruption. Image: Weatherboy

New Zealand police said early on Tuesday morning local time that they did not believe there were any survivors on White Island following the eruption.Just after midnight local time, officers said in a statement that after reconnaissance flights over the island, “no signs of life had been seen at any point”. In a statement released to the media, they said, “Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation. Based on the information we have, we do not believe there are any survivors on the island.” Officials are working to confirm the exact number of those who have died, in addition to the five already known to be dead. They had earlier said as many as 27 people had been stranded on the island after the eruption. The New Zealand military will deploy drones at first light to assess the situation.




In June, geologists raised the Volcanic Alert to “level 2”, indicative of increased seismic and volcanic activity at the site which could lead to a sudden, violent eruption. And while levels of activity have been very high since September and extremely so after recent weeks, tourists were never prevented from visiting the remote island.

 

Out of this world: the landscape inside the White Island volcano is an usual one, with boiling streams, boiling mud, and toxic plumes of sulfur staining the area bright yellow. Image: Weatherboy
Out of this world: the landscape inside the White Island volcano is an usual one, with boiling streams, boiling mud, and toxic plumes of sulfur staining the area bright yellow. Image: Weatherboy

In 2017, a Weatherboy team meteorologist surveyed the volcano with a volcanologist. Taking a helicopter into the crater floor, he was able to take video and photographs of the unworldly volcanic landscape that featured bubbling pockets of boiling mud, hissing geysers of sulfuric steam, and small streams of boiling water.

Weatherboy's helicopter lands on the floor of the White Island volcano in this 2017 photograph. Image: Weatherboy
Weatherboy’s helicopter lands on the floor of the White Island volcano in this 2017 photograph. Image: Weatherboy

Photographs shared on social media show one damaged helicopter on the volcano floor covered in ash. It is not known whether the occupants survived nor is it known it’s the helicopter previously used by the Weatherboy team.  Requests for comment from the company that arranged the Weatherboy visit were not returned.


 

Royal Caribbean advertised a “White Island Volcano Experience Cruise and Guided Exploration”  at a cost of $324.00 (US)  per adult. The cruise line promised “an unforgettable guided tour of New Zealand’s most active volcano ” that allows visitors to “get close to the drama: gas masks help you get near roaring steam vents, bubbling pits of mud, hot volcanic streams and the amazing lake of steaming acid.” In a statement released to the press, Royal Caribbean said, “We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today. We do not have any additional details to share at this time. Ovation of the Seas will remain overnight until we learn more about the situation. We will offer all possible assistance to our guests and local authorities. Please keep all those affected in your prayers.” The  New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA) released its own  statement expressing concern for those hurt and killed.  “Our primary concern right now is with the wellbeing of the passengers and all those involved. We would like to extend our heartfelt concern to the passengers and their families,” NZCA Chief Executive Officer Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Our hope is that everyone will be recovered quickly and unharmed, but at this time we have no further information.”