WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The owners of an island volcano in New Zealand where 22 tourists and local guides died in an eruption had their criminal conviction for failing to keep visitors safe thrown out by a judge on Friday. The ruling absolves the company from paying millions of dollars in restitutions to the […]
A New Zealand judge overturned the conviction of the owners of Whakaari (White Island), absolving them from paying restitution for the 2019 volcanic eruption that killed 22 people. The judge ruled that the landowners could reasonably rely on licensed tourism operators and agencies for safety, shifting responsibility away from the landowners. This decision impacts New Zealand's adventure tourism industry, potentially affecting landowners' willingness to host similar activities.
