Steven Trask and Andrew Leeson
Dec 16, 2019
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that official inquiries into last week's fatal volcano eruption could take up to a year, and will carry potential criminal penalties of up to five years in jail.
Ardern also announced a NZ$5 million ($4.8 million) fund to help small businesses affected by the eruption, after New Zealanders held a minute of silence to honour the victims a week on from the tragedy.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern observes a moment of silence with her cabinet colleagues at the moment that a volcano erupted a week earlier. Getty
The official death toll from the surprise eruption on White Island, also known by its Maori name of Whakaari, stands at 16. Two people whose bodies are believed to be in the waters around the island are still officially listed as missing.
A further 26 people remain in hospitals in New Zealand and Australia, many in critical condition with severe burn injuries.
"There remains now questions to be asked and questions to be answered," Ardern told reporters in Wellington after she led the country in a minute of silence for the dead and injured, who included tourists from United States, Germany, China, Britain and Malaysia.
There has been growing criticism that people were allowed on the island, a popular destination for day-trippers, given the risks of an active volcano. That has led to speculation the tragedy could foretell major changes for New Zealand's thrillseeker tourism economy.
WorkSafe, New Zealand's primary regulator for workplace related incidents, has opened a health and safety investigation, Ardern said, while the coroner is conducting a separate inquiry.
Meanwhile, two families have spoken of their grief after losing loved ones in the deadly White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand.
Anthony and Kristine Langford, from Sydney, and Karla Mathews, from Coffs Harbour, are among the 16 people confirmed to have died in the tragedy.
Australians Anthony and Kristine Langford are among the casualties from the deadly eruption of Mount White. Supplied
The Mathews and Langford families issued statements on Monday through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"Our family is absolutely heartbroken and our big sister will be incredibly missed," the Mathews' family statement read.
"We have an enormous sense of relief that she has finally been found and we patiently wait with the Elzer family for news of Karla's partner, Rick, so we are able to bring them home together."
The Langfords were remembered as "loving parents" to their teenagers and a "wonderful couple".
"Anthony and Kristine, loving parents to Jesse and Winona, were a wonderful couple and devoted to both their immediate and extended families," the Langford family statement read.
"They will be greatly missed by all who knew them. Winona is currently unaccounted for and Jesse is recovering in hospital, receiving excellent care."
Tearful travellers on Monday morning returned to Sydney in a sombre mood a week after the eruption that took the lives of some of their fellow passengers on The Ovation of the Seas cruise ship.
Some 47 people, including 24 Australian citizens and four permanent residents, were on the island when the volcano erupted a week ago on Monday.
One distressed passenger called Joanne became tearful as she talked to reporters at Circular Quay about the passengers who didn't come home.
"They're people, people that went on my holiday of a lifetime that I've waited 50 years for and they never got to come home ... dreadful."
Joanne told how she'd been upset seeing their suitcases being removed from the ship.
"[It] just broke my heart," she said.
Another passenger said the people on the ship were left in the dark as the tragedy unfolded.
"I've got a son that's 17 who lost two friends that he made. We didn't know how many people were missing," he said after disembarking.
Others praised the ship's crew for their handling of the situation.
A Royal Caribbean spokeswoman thanked the ship's passengers for their understanding.
"As Ovation of the Seas returns to Sydney today, our thoughts remain with those affected and we will continue to provide ongoing support and services to them and their families during this difficult time," she said in a statement.
Two bodies remain unaccounted for. They are believed to be in the waters around White Island also known as Whakaari.
Four people were confirmed dead by NZ Police on Monday: 20-year-old Jessica Richards from Brisbane, Coffs Harbour man Jason Griffiths, 33, Kristine Langford, 45, and Martin Hollander, 48, from Sydney.
These add to the seven named on Sunday: Adelaide schoolgirl Zoe Hosking, 15, her stepfather Gavin Dallow, 53, Karla Mathews, 32, and Sydney man Anthony Langford, 51.
Mr Hollander's sons Matthew, 13, and Berend, 16, who were US citizens, were also confirmed dead.
An Australian man, whose family asked that he not be named, died in a Sydney hospital on Sunday.
Another 12 people are being treated in Australian hospitals after being repatriated with severe burns.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne is flying to New Zealand on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The cruise ship left Sydney for New Zealand on December 4.
Whakaari/White Island eruption: Volcano cruise labelled a 'prison ship'
A father onboard the Ovation of the Seas has hit out at the way passengers were treated after the Whakaari/White Island tragedy, in which 16 people have now died.
The cruise ship docked in Sydney on Monday morning, one week after the disaster. Some 47 people, including 24 Australian citizens and four permanent residents, were on Whakaari/White Island on a tour when the volcano erupted seven days ago.
One passenger, who hasn't been named, told media that the cruise was like a "prison ship".
"The worst thing is the way Royal Caribbean handled this. It was terrible," he said.
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"The captain didn't even tell us what was happening. We had to watch the news. It was a prison ship in the end, you weren't allowed to know anything."
He added that his son had made friends with two of the victims, and he also criticised the lack of mental health support, reported news.com.au.
However, some other passengers praised Royal Caribbean.
Passenger Jo Anne Anderson cried with joy as she got off: "So happy to be home," she repeated.
Her voice cracking with emotion, Anderson told the Sydney Morning Herald it broke her heart to "see people taking cases [belonging to the dead and injured] down the hallways and taking them away".
"There are dead people, people who went on a trip of a lifetime, and they haven't come home. It is dreadful."
Anderson said the mood on board had been "very sombre, there was a lot of praying and crying".
She said the Royal Caribbean had done a "brilliant job" and the captain had provided regular updates on what was happening.
Other passengers told of a sense of guilt and helplessness as the tragic news filtered through.
"We knew something was happening, but we didn't know what and then when the news started filtering through it was quite sad to be honest with you, you realise how fragile life is. I'm here with a family of four children and we could have been on that tour," one passenger who only wanted to be identified as Brad told 9news.com.au.
"There was a bit of guilt as well that it could have been anyone," he added.
Inga Tille said it felt like losing family.
"Even if it wasn't your family they're still your family. On the ship you get to know people and it was a very solemn situation.
"When the bell rang and the captain spoke you could hear a pin drop and it was a very emotional time because even if you didn't know the people you were affected and you feel for them. It's a tragedy."
Other passengers told 9News.com.au how the captain of the ship had been left "devastated" and that waiting around for updates had been the hardest part.
Another passenger, Troy, told Today as he disembarked that the mood had been sombre and the crew of the ship were visibly broken, but everyone was just happy to be back in Australia.
"On the day [of the tragedy] the captain was calling for people to report to guest services. We thought people were running late maybe and it was later on that we heard what had happened
"Probably the next morning I think it was before we got told and everyone was watching the news and jumping on their phones and finding out what they could.
"[It was] a bit sombre. The crew were really good. They were trying to stay upbeat and happy and do what they could but you could tell they were hurting. I think the captain was breaking down crying a fair bit.
"Just relieved to be back, really. Can't wait to get home."
Retrieval mission continues
One of the male victims caught in Monday's Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption died in Sydney's Concord Hospital, NSW Health said in a statement on Sunday, bringing the number of Australians killed in the disaster to 10.
The family requested that the latest victim's name and age not be released.
Another dozen Australians are still being treated in local hospitals after being repatriated with severe burns.
There are 14 patients being cared for in four burns units around New Zealand - Middlemore, Hutt Valley, Waikato, and Christchurch - with 10 listed as critical.
After completing the disaster victim identification work, police on Sunday also released the names of seven more people, including four Australians and two Americans with Australian permanent residency, who died in the tragedy.
American teenagers Matthew and Berend Hollander, 13 and 16, and Kiwi tour guide Tipene Maangi, 24, were also named.
A further two people are missing, with their bodies believed to be in the waters around Whakaari.
But after a weekend of fruitless searches in the contaminated water around the active volcano, and a shorter return to the land near the crater itself, that hope is diminishing.
Whereas previously police were "absolutely committed to recovering bodies", a subtle shift in language on Sunday to "providing a sense of closure" reflects the challenge of the retrieval process.
9NEWS with Stuff
Passengers disembarking a luxury cruise ship at the centre of the New Zealand volcano tragedy have told of a desperate wait for information after fellow travellers were fatally caught on White Island on a tour when the eruption occurred.
The Ovation of the Seas arrived back at Circular Quay in Sydney this morning a week after the New Zealand Volcano tragedy, in which 16 people have now died.
Some 47 people, including 24 Australian citizens and four permanent residents, were on White Island on a tour when the volcano erupted seven days ago.
The cruise ship resumed its journey several days later and arrived at Sydney's Circular Quay at 6am.
Passengers told of a sense of guilt and helplessness as the tragic news filtered through.
"We knew something was happening, but we didn't know what and then when the news started filtering through it was quite sad to be honest with you, you realise how fragile life is. I'm here with a family of four children and we could have been on that tour," one passenger who only wanted to be identified as Brad told 9news.com.au.
"There was a bit of guilt as well that it could have been anyone, he added, who was on another tour and returning by boat when the news came through the radio.
Inga Tille said it felt like losing family.
"Even if it wasn't your family they're still your family. On the ship you get to know people and it was a very solemn situation.
"When the bell rang and the captain spoke you could hear a pin drop and it was a very emotional time because even if you didn't know the people you were affected and you feel for them. It's a tragedy."
Other passengers told 9News.com.au how the captain of the ship had been left "devastated" and that waiting around for updates had been the hardest part.
Another passenger, only identified as Troy, told Today as he disembarked that the mood had been sombre and the crew of the ship were visibly broken, but everyone was just happy to be back in Australia.
"On the day [of the tragedy] the captain was calling for people to report to guest services. We thought people were running late maybe and it was later on that we heard what had happened.
"Probably the next morning I think it was before we got told and everyone was watching the news and jumping on their phones and finding out what they could.
"[It was] a bit sombre. The crew were really good. They were trying to stay upbeat and happy and do what they could but you could tell they were hurting. I think the captain was breaking down crying a fair bit.
"Just relieved to be back, really. Can't wait to get home."
However, other passengers said they had been left frustrated after being kept on the ship with no information.
Retrieval mission continues
One of the male victims caught in Monday's White Island volcano eruption died in Sydney's Concord Hospital, NSW Health said in a statement on Sunday, bringing the number of Australians killed in the disaster to ten.
Two patients remain in a critical condition at Concord Hospital and another is stable.
The family requested that the latest victim's name and age not be released.
Another dozen Australians are still being treated in local hospitals after being repatriated with severe burns.
There are 14 patients being cared for in four burns units around New Zealand - Middlemore, Hutt Valley, Waikato, and Christchurch - with 10 listed as critical.
After completing the disaster victim identification work, police on Sunday also released the names of seven more people, including four Australians and two Americans with Australian permanent residency, who died in the tragedy.
They are Adelaide schoolgirl Zoe Hosking, 15, her stepfather Gavin Dallow, 53, Karla Mathews, 32, and Sydney man Anthony Langford, 51.
American teenagers Matthew and Berend Hollander, 13 and 16, and Kiwi tour guide Tipene Maangi, 24, were also named.
A further two people are missing, with their bodies believed to be in the waters around Whakaari.
The retrieval of six bodies on Friday in an audacious rescue mission brought hope that all bodies may be found.
But after a weekend of fruitless searches in the contaminated water around the active volcano, and a shorter return to the land near the crater itself, that hope is diminishing.
Whereas previously police were "absolutely committed to recovering bodies", a subtle shift in language on Sunday to "providing a sense of closure" reflects the challenge of the retrieval process.
