MAN: Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
MAN: I could see just this enormous cloud of black
MAN: I could see and bright white steam and ash.
At that point there was definitely a shift of, I guess,
shock and horror.
MAN: Go, go, go, go, go.
Jesus.
MAN: I remember that sinking feeling when I realised
there were people probably on the island,
and that there were probably really tragic consequences.
and that there were probably Holy crap.
Oh, my God.
REPORTER: When New Zealand's White Island Volcano erupted
on December 9 last year,
there were 47 people trapped in the crater.
there were 47 people Look. Look.
Oh, no.
Horrified sightseers were the first on the scene.
Some people was quiet, very quiet. Some people was screaming.
Some people was crying.
There was no second-guessing, no hesitation.
MAN: We got to the victims, started helping them,
putting on gas masks, giving them water,
putting them in the recovery position,
making them as comfortable as we can.
Just reassuring them that we are there.
Just reassuring them We are there to help
and, "We are going to get you We are there to help
and, "We are going to get you off the island,"
and, "We are going to get you and "You're not alone".
Tonight, on Four Corners the extraordinary efforts
by ordinary people to rescue the victims of the White Island disaster.
We investigate how much tourists were told, and understood, by ordinary people to rescue the victims of the White Island disaster.
We investigate how much tourists were told, and understood,
about the dangers of visiting New Zealand's most active volcano.
And we examine whether more could have been done
to prevent this tragedy
that's left 21 people dead
and many others with lifelong traumatic injuries.
On December 4 last year the Ovation of the Seas set sail from Sydney
On December 4 last year the Ovation for New Zealand.
It was peak cruise season
and thousands of Australians had bought tickets
for one of the last trips before Christmas.
On board the Royal Caribbean cruise was Adelaide lawyer Gavin Dallow,
his wife Lisa, and her 15-year-old daughter Zoe Hosking.
his wife Lisa, and her 15-year-old MAN: Lisa and Zoe changed his life.
I just know that it's the greatest thing that ever happened to Gavin.
When I first met Lisa it was... I just know that it's the greatest thing that ever happened to Gavin.
When I first met Lisa it was...
..you could tell there was just something.
And it was just so good to see... most of all he was just so happy.
MAN: They were really looking forward to it.
Then Gavin sent a picture of them
as they were going through Sydney Heads
and said, "Goodbye, Australia, Hello, New Zealand."
Also, on the Ovation of the Seas were Sydney family the Langfords -
mum and dad Kristine and Anthony,
and their teenage children Jesse and Winona.
John Cozad and his son Chris from New South Wales
John Cozad and his son Chris were on board too.
WOMAN: There were lots of families taking, I suppose,
an early Christmas, or a lead into their Christmas holidays,
and the mindset really is to be carefree,
to let the cruise company look after their holiday.
They've paid a lot of money. to let the cruise company look after their holiday.
They've paid a lot of money.
They've planned for it. They've taken leave from work.
The mindset is, "I can let them look after me."
One of the highlights offered to passengers
was a day trip to visit White Island volcano.
Gavin just happened to mention that he was going to White Island,
'cause he knew it was on my bucket list, because I wanted to go there.
He didn't say not to tell anyone, but as it turned out,
I was the only person in the family that he'd let know.
I was the only person They were provided with a brochure
that was branded with Royal Caribbean branding.
They would have been provided with a ticket
also branded with Royal Caribbean branding,
also branded with and they were told in the brochure
that all they needed to do if they were attending this tour
was to wear enclosed shoes.
The brochure promised tourists could "get close to the drama".
It said, "Gas masks help you get near roaring steam vents,
"bubbling pits of mud, hot volcanic streams
"and the amazing lake of steaming acid."
They were told to think about
whether they were OK with doing a strenuous walk.
People in wheelchairs were told that it probably wasn't a good idea
for them to go on the island.
But, generally, all they were told
is this was an adventurous, fun thing to do
is this was an adventurous, and just to wear enclosed shoes.
What were they told about the risks and just to wear enclosed shoes.
What were they told about the risks and the risk of an eruption?
What were they told about the risks Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Tourism New Zealand promoted White Island
to Australian travel agents as one of the country's hidden gems.
MAN: White Island is an active volcano. It's a cone volcano.
It's the type of volcano that a kid would draw at school.
It's a typical, regularly erupting, active volcano.
The different thing about White Island It's a typical, regularly erupting, active volcano.
The different thing about White Island
is most of it's underwater, White Island
is most of it's underwater,
so the tip of the island only is poking out through the ocean.
More than 18,000 people visited the island each year.
MAN: It would be something like if you pictured going to Mars.
The landscape's so unique.
The colours are real fluorescent and different.
It's such a harsh looking environment and it's active.
Things were always changing.
There was always sounds or vents and stuff. Things were always changing.
There was always sounds or vents and stuff.
It was just a real awesome, awesome place.
MAN: When you arrive at White Island,
you're transferred into a Zodiac rubber boat,
you're transferred into usually six to 10 people,
and you're then ferried to this rough concrete landing
where you are gingerly helped from the boat
where you are gingerly onto the, uh, landing platform.
When you actually land on the island,
and you walk into the crater of the volcano,
you're actually walking right into the throat of an active volcano and you walk into the crater of the volcano,
you're actually walking right into the throat of an active volcano
that has erupted frequently, uh, in the last several decades.
In 2016, scientists got a warning of just how dangerous
In 2016, scientists got a warning an eruption on White Island could be.
GRAHAM: So, there was an eruption in 2016. It was at night.
It was a similar eruption in that it had a column up in the air,
it produced a surge out across the ground,
it probably threw quite a lot of rock and ballistics,
but there was nobody on the island - that's the big difference.
It was very clear that if people had been on that island
at that time in 2016, it would've been very hard to survive,
and we put that in our bulletins as our main communication mechanism
afterwards to make that really clear.
RAYMOND: The whole area where tourists walk
RAYMOND: The whole area when they visit the island
was inundated with the deposits when they visit the island
was inundated with the deposits of that explosive eruption.
And that, of course, should immediately have raised an alert
that it's a dangerous place to allow people to walk.
that it's a dangerous place My personal point of view
is they should have My personal point of view
is they should have stopped tourist activities,
particularly in terms of landing on the island.
Late last year, the volcanic activity on the island increased.
On December 3, the government body that monitors White Island said:
GRAHAM: We had raised the alert level to Level Two.
That's the highest level it can be at when it's not erupting.
That's because we could see tremor in the volcano
That's because we could see tremor increasing over those months.
We could also see some increases increasing over those months.
We could also see some increases in that gas that we're monitoring
We could also see some increases at the volcano,
indicating that unrest was up.
Level Two doesn't necessarily indicate
that you'll therefore get an explosive eruption.
You often do, because things escalate,
but sometimes everything settles down and remains at Level Two.
TOM: We've gone out there before on a Level Two plenty of times,
TOM: We've gone out there before and it's done nothing.
It would quite often change from a Level Two to a Level One.
But a Level Two and a Level One is...
..it's more dangerous driving on a road, probably, But a Level Two and a Level One is...
..it's more dangerous driving on a road, probably,
than being out there, you know? driving on a road, probably,
than being out there, you know?
Do you think if Gavin had known that there was a Level Two risk,
Do you think if Gavin had known he wouldn't have gone?
I'm pretty well sure he wouldn't have. he wouldn't have gone?
I'm pretty well sure he wouldn't have.
I'm almost certain, he wouldn't have.
I'm almost certain,
to risk Zoe and Lisa to any danger,
because he wouldn't have wanted to risk Zoe and Lisa to any danger,
let alone himself.
So, I'm quite sure that if there was a danger,
he wouldn't have gone.
On the morning of December 9,
several tour groups were heading to White Island.
New Zealand residents Geoff Hopkins and his daughter Lillani
New Zealand residents Geoff Hopkins drove to Whakatane,
the launch point for tours to the volcano.
MAN: We were really excited about going.
We knew that we had a great day ahead of ourselves,
and we were really looking forward to it.
It's something I've always been real interested in,
and Dad went when he was a lot younger. It's something I've always been real interested in,
and Dad went when he was a lot younger.
So, it was, for me, something that was real cool
for us to do together.
Their trip, due to leave at 10am,
was run by a well-known group called White Island Tours,
which was the only operator taking people to the island by boat.
We checked in, read a disclaimer, signed in,
gave our next of kin details, etc. We checked in, read a disclaimer, signed in,
gave our next of kin details, etc.
Received a boarding pass, which was a metal cone,
and then from there just crossed the road and waited by the boat
and then from there just crossed for the crew to start loading.
Geoff and Lillani can be seen here on the wharf,
waiting to get on the White Island Tours boat, the Phoenix.
The video was filmed by Brazilian tourist Allessandro Kauffmann.
Yeah, we just take the camera and just film everything, you know?
Like a blog or a vlog, and like this.
Allessandro was on the tour with his wife, Aline.
Yeah. It was just excitement to get there and to see how it is.
MAN: The last operation was 1933...
ALLESSANDRO: We can see the White Island so far as well.
It's huge. It's amazing.
LILLANI: When we first got on the island,
there was a brief safety briefing,
and it was very, very brief.
It was just, "Don't touch anything, don't take anything, and it was very, very brief.
It was just, "Don't touch anything, don't take anything,
"stay on the path, and stay in between the tour guides."
That was kind of about it.
What were you told about what to do in the event of an eruption?
GEOFF: There was no safety briefing about what to do in an eruption.
Lillani and I talked with the guide a little while later,
Lillani and I talked with the guide as we were on our tour.
And then we talked a little bit about eruptions
and what to do in eruptions.
So, it wasn't to the group, it was just between the three of us.
Had they explained to you at all what to do
if there was some sort of incident like an eruption?
I don't really remember that.
So, I don't remember I don't really remember that.
So, I don't remember an explanation about it.
Allessandro kept filming
as the tour guide warned about Allessandro kept filming
as the tour guide warned about getting too close to the steam.
GEOFF: The tour really just took us up on a meandering path
up to the crater, past various sulphur deposits and vents, etc.
It's very rugged and grey, as rocks are,
It's very rugged and grey, but then that's intermingled
with the beautiful yellows of sulphur crystals, whites,
and then some of the streams that have got green and brown
and red algae.
The walking track crossed a shallow creek.
The group hiked towards the crater lake, the highlight of the tour,
The group hiked towards the crater right in the centre of the island.
We talked about the crater lake.
It's not excessively hot, but highly acidic.
And it was always steaming, but there was a bit of wind about
And it was always steaming, and as the wind blew the steam,
every now and again and as the wind blew the steam,
every now and again you could get a glimpse of the lake.
Did you feel at any point like there was a risk
that the volcano could erupt?
Yeah, sure. I think all the time. that the volcano could erupt?
Yeah, sure. I think all the time.
All the time, I think...
..there's risk, you know.
But you have a risk about everything, you know?
When you walk to the street
or when you take your car to go somewhere.
or when you take your car Everything you've got a risk.
While they were there, Lillani photographed a helicopter
run by Volcanic Air landing on the island
run by Volcanic Air with a pilot and four passengers.
As their group made its way back to the boat,
they passed the ruins of an old sulphur factory
they passed the ruins of and Allessandro checked his watch.
It was 11 minutes to 2.
22 minutes before the eruption.
GEOFF: We weren't in any hurry to get back onto the boat.
People had started to load on the inflatable.
We knew there was another tour on the island
because their boat was anchored in the bay as well.
As Allessandro headed back to the jetty,
he filmed another White Island Tours boat anchored in the bay.
It had brought 38 passengers from the Ovation of the Seas,
including Gavin Dallow, his wife, Lisa,
including Gavin Dallow, and her daughter, Zoe.
Among their tour guides were Tipene Maangi, Kelsey Waghorn,
Among their tour guides and Hayden Marshall-Inman.
MAN: He'd been and Hayden Marshall-Inman.
MAN: He'd been with White Island Tours 10 years,
MAN: He'd been and he started as a guide.
And he enjoyed people.
His passion for people was huge,
and his passion for the outdoors, and the ocean, was massive.
So, for him to fit into a job where he could get all of the above and his passion for the outdoors, and the ocean, was massive.
So, for him to fit into a job where he could get all of the above
was like the perfect opportunity for him.
As the group from the Phoenix left the island,
they took some final photos looking up towards the crater lake.
GEOFF: At one point the captain said over the tannoy,
GEOFF: At one point the captain "If you look in the distance,
"right against the steam cloud of the crater lake,
"right against the steam cloud "you can see some dots,"
and those dots "you can see some dots,"
and those dots were the other tour party.
and those dots So, he pointed them out.
There were people up there on the crater lake.
What's unique about that crater There were people up there on the crater lake.
What's unique about that crater
is that it's an amphitheatre-shaped crater with very steep sides,
so you're totally enclosed within a confined space
with nowhere to escape should an event suddenly occur.
At 2:11pm, the Phoenix and its passengers
were about to head back to the mainland when the volcano erupted.
MAN: Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
GEOFF: As I turned around, I could Oh, my God.
GEOFF: As I turned around, I could see over the top of the canopy,
as I looked up, just this enormous cloud of...
..black and bright white steam and ash.
Quite beautiful, but just towering, I don't know,
a few hundred metres up into the sky.
And instantly I knew it was erupting, a few hundred metres up into the sky.
And instantly I knew it was erupting,
but just in that second
there was just something that was quite beautiful about it.
These first pictures were filmed by the passengers
as their boat headed away from the island.
GRAHAM: The eruption was short. It only lasted a minute to two.
It was a steam eruption.
The key thing with these steam eruptions is they're unpredictable.
It generated a column of ash and hot water and steam straight up,
and then led into a surge of hot steam and ash
and then led into a surge of moving outwards across the ground.
It also looks like it had some flying rocks -
some...what we call ballistics - coming through the air as well.
The system that exploded, the hydrothermal system,
would've been at 200 or 300 degrees or more.
There was no opportunity to provide the tourists with a warning
that there was an impending eruption,
and given that the debris is flying through the air
at speeds of up to 100 metres per second,
that means that people would have had no warning
and no opportunity, really, to seek any safety.
and no opportunity, really, Go, go, go, go, go.
Jesus.
On the Phoenix, awe quickly turned to horror.
On the Phoenix, Go inside!
Go inside! Go inside!
Go inside! Go inside! Go inside!
Go inside! (OVER PA) Everybody inside now.
We were outside, in the back of the boat,
and I just told the people outside just go inside
because I know that the clouds come to us.
GEOFF: There was a rolling ash cloud that came up to the top of a cliff,
GEOFF: There was a rolling ash cloud and as it tumbled over the cliff,
and as it tumbled down to the cliff,
it kind of came out and started to come out to the sea.
That completely obscured the whole island.
I'd never seen anything like it.
But at that point there was definitely a shift of,
But at that point I guess, shock and horror.
Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
WOMAN: Were there people Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
WOMAN: Were there people still on the island?
Man. I'm shocked at how... Look.
Everybody sat down.
And I think at that stage was when reality was really kicking in,
that we knew there were other people on the island.
47 people, including 38 passengers from the Ovation of the Seas,
47 people, including 38 passengers were still on the island.
After escaping the ash cloud,
the captain of the Phoenix After escaping the ash cloud,
the captain of the Phoenix turned back to the jetty to help.
the captain of the Phoenix Look at the boat!
WOMAN: Oh, my God, there are people there!
WOMAN: Oh, my God, Oh, no.
Oh, my God.
The island was now just monotone grey.
There was no colour to it at all.
It was if someone had taken a can of undercoat spray
It was if someone had taken and just sprayed everything.
The other tour group's boat that was anchored,
again was completely, and perfectly evenly,
again was completely, covered in ash.
The first thing I could see was one person in the water
swimming out to that boat.
And then I could see another person swimming,
And then I could see and then I saw a third person.
And then I could see others that and then I saw a third person.
And then I could see others that were gathered around the jetty
where we'd got on and off from, where we'd landed on the island.
MAN: Look at the helicopter there. Oh.
MAN: Look at the helicopter there. WOMAN: Oh, my God.
The next thing they saw
was the mangled Volcanic Air helicopter
that had been blown off its landing pad.
GEOFF: The helicopter was just looking crippled
GEOFF: The helicopter with its broken rotors.
Come on, guys.
And at that stage, the crew had lowered the inflatable boat,
and they'd started a rescue mission to pick people up.
LILLANI: One of the tour guides that I had spoken quite closely with,
she came in to get some first aid kits,
and me and Dad went up and asked her if she needed help,
because we both have our first aid certificates.
And she said that she needed all the help she can get.
She's got multiple burn victims.
As injured survivors were brought onto the Phoenix,
the crew asked passengers not to film.
ALINE: When the first people got to the boat,
like, most of them was really, really hurt.
We started to help them to clean that ash, like, most of them was really, really hurt.
We started to help them to clean that ash,
and they were feeling pain, much pain.
Some people was quiet, very quiet.
Some people was screaming.
Some people was crying.
GEOFF: First thing that I saw
was a survivor came on the back of the boat
was a survivor and she was just burnt
like I've never seen burns before.
Some were just in T-shirts and shorts,
so their whole arms were burnt, or their legs were burnt.
And really, all we could do was just try and cool them with fresh water.
LILLANI: A lot of them had lost skin.
so put clothing over it to act as skin,
and then we'd pour water onto that clothing.
And then once we had, I guess, cooled people's burns,
I cleared eyes and airways.
People had ash in their mouths.
It was a case of keeping people
from going in and out of consciousness,
people going in shock.
One of the first people brought onboard was Kelsey Waghorn,
the White Island tours guide, who survived with terrible burns.
She had severe burns to her hands, her arms, her legs,
She had severe burns to her hands, due to, I guess, her clothing,.
Quite a few people that had very, I guess, protective clothing on
were mostly just burnt on their faces and their hands,
were mostly just burnt which were not as severe
as those that had burns over their whole body.
The most severe burns were ones that had no skin left.
It would just... kind of dripped off them like wax.
And that's something that I never thought I'd ever see,
and something I hope I never have to see again.
With more than 20 victims loaded onboard,
With more than 20 victims the Phoenix quickly became crowded.
GEOFF: I ended up at the front of the boat
with six of the most critical.
And these were laid out on the floor, in and out of consciousness,
eyes shut, not really making any sound at all,
as opposed to, I guess, the ones at the back eyes shut, not really making any sound at all,
as opposed to, I guess, the ones at the back
as opposed to, I guess, which were more screaming, crying.
And there was a real mixture in there.
Geoff was on the front of the boat with American Lauren Urey.
She was on her honeymoon with her husband, Matthew.
They were both seriously injured, but survived.
They were both seriously injured, She was in so much pain.
She was burnt pretty much across most of her body.
She was then starting to drift in and out of consciousness.
She was then starting to drift She really became my sole focus.
She asked me not to leave her, and I promised I wouldn't,
and that became...I wasn't going to break that promise.
That's where I stayed.
ALINE: There are the moments that everyone was feeling so cold.
I gave all of the clothes, the tops, the jackets we could
I gave all of the clothes, to keep them warm.
But there was a moment that it wasn't enough. to keep them warm.
But there was a moment that it wasn't enough.
It wasn't enough. They were feeling so cold.
They were losing temperature.
So, what we could do was hug them,
trying to warm up with our arms and their body.
And I think it may make them alive maybe.
Another victim brought onto the Phoenix
was 72-year-old Australian man John Cozad,
who'd been on the volcano tour with his son, Chris.
ALINE: I remember this elderly guy,
and he was really worried with his son.
He was the person who was most worried about.
He was the person He was feeling cold,
and he was starting to get purple
and really, really quiet.
I was so worried, I just hug him...
..and gave him what I could do at that moment.
Till we got the coast, I did it.
And I saw after he was coming back, his colour.
I think it helped.
John survived, but his son Chris died later in hospital.
It seemed like eternity to get the coast again
It seemed like eternity because it was really far.
The island's far from the coast.
People on the mainland saw the eruption
but they had no idea the horror that was unfolding.
Tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman's brother Mark
Tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman's could see the volcano from his home.
I think the first contact I had was from my wife
and she could see some smoke.
She said, "What's going on? Is that White Island?"
She said, "What's going on? I said, "What do you mean?"
She said, "I can see smoke. Is that White?"
And I said, "Oh, I'll have a quick look."
I made a few phone calls, firstly to my dad, if he's... And I said, "Oh, I'll have a quick look."
I made a few phone calls, firstly to my dad, if he's...
I made a few phone calls, "Did Hayden go to work today?"
was one of the first things, "Did Hayden go to work today?"
was one of the first things, you know.
When we both couldn't get hold of him,
When we both uh...we just made the assumption
that he had gone, which he had.
He'd gone as a guide, that he had gone, which he had.
He'd gone as a guide, rather than a skipper this day.
As news of the eruption spread,
a group of helicopter pilots
who regularly took visitors to White Island
launched a remarkable rescue operation.
launched a remarkable TOM: It was about quarter past two.
My phone rung and another pilot, Luke Lamont, who works out at Kahu TOM: It was about quarter past two.
My phone rung and another pilot, Luke Lamont, who works out at Kahu
rung me and said the island looked like it was blowing up.
I didn't know if anyone was on the island.
I just decided I was going to be more help back at the hangar
if there was anything I could do to help.
Tom's boss, Mark Law, jumped in one helicopter.
Tom and another pilot, Jason Hill, got into another.
We were just going there hoping that we're going to find everyone
We were just going there hoping taking photos of it, safe and sound.
In nearby Rotorua, Volcanic Air pilot Tim Barrow was in his hangar
In nearby Rotorua, Volcanic Air when he heard about the eruption.
And I grabbed the first aircraft that was ready to fly, basically,
and one of my guys, and we got airborne.
There was no second-guessing, no hesitation. and one of my guys, and we got airborne.
There was no second-guessing, no hesitation.
It was as simple as going and getting the job done
to the best of our ability.
They didn't know it as they flew out there,
but there were 20 people still on the island, some badly injured,
but there were 20 people still others already dead.
I suppose my first recollection
was the view that I got I suppose my first recollection
was the view that I got from the advantage of being high,
you know, being able to look down into the crater
you know, being able to look down and seeing the steam and the ash.
We landed behind that helicopter that was blown off the pad.
It was at that point there, that me and Jase looked at each other
and realised that must've been quite a significant force
to push that helicopter off that pad that far
to push that helicopter and do the damage it had done.
So that was really when it hit that, yeah, and do the damage it had done.
So that was really when it hit that, yeah,
this has been quite a serious event.
Mark grabbed us and gave us a plan to do.
So pretty much said, "Alright guys, we've got some victims.
"They're in this vicinity.
"There is a range of different injuries.
"We'll go there and just help them
"as much as we can "We'll go there and just help them
"as much as we can till help arrives."
So, we got to the victims, started helping them,
putting on gas masks, giving them water,
putting them in the recovery position,
making them as comfortable as we can.
Just reassuring them that we are there.
We are there to help and, "We are going to get you off the island,"
and "You're not alone".
The conditions they were working in were toxic.
Without a gas mask, it was really hard to breathe.
Without a gas mask, Almost impossible to breathe.
Just real sharp sting in your throat.
And if you got sweat or anything in your eye -
I was wearing sunglasses out there - your eyes would start burning.
In some places, it was kind of a foot-deep of ash,
kind of halfway up to your knee, that you were running through.
And kinda quite eerie as the volcano,
you could still see it was still ashing
you could still see at the time we were out there.
It was still raining ash on us.
The pilots carried a total of 12 people onto three helicopters.
The pilots carried a total of I know of one person that I carried
that was alive when I was carrying,
but by the time I'd got to the helicopter,
I had a suspicion that they may have passed away.
I told Mark
and Mark said, "We'll just carry on and just put them in there."
Obviously, I felt hugely concerned for the two survivors
that we had on board.
They weren't in good shape.
And I wish I could have sped that flight up 100 times They weren't in good shape.
And I wish I could have sped that flight up 100 times
and had those guys back in a millisecond, not the time it took.
What condition were they in when you helped them off the chopper?
One of our passengers sadly had passed away on the flight back,
and the other one was in a bad way.
Yeah.
Despite the risk of another eruption,
Tom stayed on the island to search for more survivors.
As he ran down the creek towards the sea,
he found the body of tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman.
To be honest, it was no surprise I come across Hayden's body.
If anyone was going to be left on the island,
If anyone was going to be left it was going to be Hayden.
I ran down to him and pulled him out of the creek,
I ran down to him and and just propped him up on a rock.
And, at that stage I thought, and just propped him up on a rock.
And, at that stage I thought, "Right, we'll start running around
"and see if we can find any more people."
Further up the creek, Tom found the body of another guide,
Further up the creek, Tom found Tipene Maangi.
What was pretty obvious is that the first group of people we had found,
there was already a first-aid kit there, opened.
So we're 100% certain that Tipene and Hayden
So we're 100% certain actually come across that group
and helped them and started actually come across that group
and helped them and started offering them first aid.
and helped them and started And I think a huge part of us
being able to find those people still alive
was because of those two guys' actions.
There were five other bodies nearby.
I found two girls that were there at the time.
Unfortunately, they passed away not long after I'd found them.
So we just made them comfortable, as we could.
It wasn't till we were coming back along by the factory
that we found another victim across the creek from us.
So, we crossed the creek and went up to that victim.
Unfortunately, they were passed away.
That was 17-year old teenager Winona Langford.
She'd been on the tour with her parents, Kristine and Anthony,
She'd been on the tour with and brother Jesse.
Only Jesse survived.
Finally search and rescue paramedics arrived by helicopter
Finally search and rescue paramedics and landed near the jetty.
I talked to a medic there,
explained to them where I'd placed the bodies,
that we had eight victims that I knew of at the time
that were all deceased.
I didn't know if anyone else was on the island at that point. that were all deceased.
I didn't know if anyone else was on the island at that point.
I could just identify the eight that we'd come across.
It was at that point that we were then instructed
to leave the island.
When the injured survivors arrived at the mainland,
they were met by emergency services.
LILLANI: There was everyone you could ever have managed.
There were doctors, there were fire, there were ambulance,
there was coast guard.
They were getting us to help them with those who were most critical,
and then getting them off the boat. They were getting us to help them with those who were most critical,
and then getting them off the boat.
the rest were on stretchers.
Those that could walk, were walked, the rest were on stretchers.
Mark Inman was still waiting for news of his brother Hayden.
MARK: That first boat arrived, and Hayden wasn't on it.
And obviously, a lot of his friends are in the crew,
and one of the skippers actually said And obviously, a lot of his friends are in the crew,
and one of the skippers actually said
and one of the skippers that Hayden didn't get on the boat.
He's not on the boat. that Hayden didn't get on the boat.
He's not on the boat. He's supposed to be on this one.
He's not on the boat. He's not there.
And in that meantime, we'd heard from the pilots
that they're pretty sure he... Hayden never made it.
On board the cruise ship the Ovation of the Seas,
families were waiting for their loved ones
to return from the day trip to White Island.
Hours passed before they found out what had happened.
RITA: There are accounts of people
who only found out about this tragedy
who only found out about through a panicked phone call
from a family member through a panicked phone call
from a family member back in Australia
saying, "Turn on the TV and look at what's happened on White Island."
The accounts I've heard are that the staff members
did not communicate and when they were confronted about it,
they told the family members to sit in a room
for an extended amount of time, with no information,
and wasted precious hours that they could have been using
to see their family members in hospital
to see their family members before a lot of them did pass away.
Gavin Dallow, his wife, Lisa, and her daughter, Zoe,
were among those who hadn't returned to the cruise ship.
As we go to air tonight, at least 27 people are missing
after a volcano erupted off the coast of New Zealand.
One person has been confirmed dead, but authorities...
BRIAN: We were watching the six o'clock news,
and they said about it...
REPORTER: New Zealand's most active volcano exploded...
And then our nephew rang and said that he knew he was on the island.
So first instinct, of course, was to dial his mobile phone, And then our nephew rang and said that he knew he was on the island.
So first instinct, of course, was to dial his mobile phone,
So first instinct, of course, of course several times.
But we didn't get an answer, naturally,
so we knew there was something up.
We knew Gavin was on the island, we knew Zoe was on the island, so we knew there was something up.
We knew Gavin was on the island, we knew Zoe was on the island,
we knew they were in the shore party -
we were told that by the authorities in New Zealand.
So, we knew they were in that party.
But you have no idea who got off or who didn't,
and who was burnt and who had been injured
and who was burnt and all those sorts of things.
So, you had no idea.
You just knew they were there.
We were holding out hope that he might be in hospital,
but that was in vain.
I think in the back of our minds, we knew something was really wrong.
I think in the back of our minds, And on Saturday, they rung us to say
that he had been officially identified.
And from then on, it was just a matter of bringing him home.
There were eight bodies still left on the island.
The effort to rescue them was delayed
The effort to rescue them because of fears of another eruption.
MARK: We were sort of almost assured that,
"Don't worry, we've put him somewhere, and we're heading back."
And then when that call was made not to go back...
That was a moment in time...
..that changed everything.
Yeah, that moment in time meant we'd never see him again.
When official rescue teams arrived on the island four days later,
When official rescue teams arrived only six bodies were there.
The bodies of Hayden Marshall-Inman and Winona Langford
had been washed away by heavy rain.
There isn't a day goes by that you don't... Oh, shit.
There isn't a day go by
that you don't think about both Winona and Hayden
because, as we said, Hayden would always be the last man standing.
because, as we said, Hayden would He's become the guardian of Whakaari
and he had opportunity to come home
and he chose to stay and look after Winona, so.
Among the bodies recovered
was Gavin Dallow's stepdaughter, Zoe Hosking.
Gavin's wife, Lisa, had survived, but was badly injured.
She was one of the people rescued by the pilots.
If we have made a difference to one person's life,
If we have made a difference it's all worth it.
Yeah, fantastic.
And if that's the case, that's a wonderful result.
In New Zealand, WorkSafe and the coroner
are both looking into the tragedy,
but their investigations could take more than a year.
GEOFF: I don't put any blame on White Island Tours.
They gave me an opportunity twice to be on that island
They gave me an opportunity twice and to experience it,
and thousands of people have been able to do that without incident.
I'm satisfied that what they talked to us about... and thousands of people have been able to do that without incident.
I'm satisfied that what they talked to us about...
I didn't expect anything more from them.
I didn't expect anything more And certainly, after the eruption,
I've never thought, "Oh, they could have done more."
TIM: There's no way in this world
that any of us would have put people on the island
that any of us would have if we'd thought for a moment,
not one millisecond, that there if we'd thought for a moment,
not one millisecond, that there would have been a result like this.
19 of the 21 people who died were from the Ovation of the Seas.
Sydney lawyer Rita Yousef
is representing passengers and family members
who believe the cruise operator, Royal Caribbean,
didn't do enough to warn its guests.
RITA: This particular volcano was at Level Two.
At the very least, Royal Caribbean,
which held itself out to be responsible for this tour,
which held itself out should have been monitoring this,
and communicating with participants as to the risk,
and communicating with participants and giving them the choice -
an informed choice to decide and giving them the choice -
an informed choice to decide not to go because of this risk.
How much responsibility is on the participant in the tour
to do their own research to find out how safe or unsafe something is?
I would say none, to do their own research to find out how safe or unsafe something is?
I would say none,
and that's because they're relying on this company to do that for them.
They're handing over money, their hard-earned money
for somebody else to be responsible for that.
For many families, the grief is still very raw.
I think we're probably like anybody in the same situation.
I think we're probably We're having our moments.
We've got his case there, but we still haven't unpacked it.
So that will be the next bit of trauma we've got to go through.
But things are just not going to go away for a while yet.
So, we've just got to live day by day.
I know that not everyone survived unfortunately,
but constantly I just wished the best to their families
but constantly I just wished and for those people who survived.
What the rescuers saw that day will stay with them forever,
but their efforts to save the victims of the White Island eruption
won't be forgotten.
BRIAN: I think they were damn brave,
because I would have got off that island as fast as I could have
after the blast.
But anybody that they picked up,
they put their own lives in danger,
that was for sure.
TOM: I just hope that if I was ever,
or any of my family members TOM: I just hope that if I was ever,
or any of my family members were in that same situation,
or any of my family members someone would do the same for them.
Yeah, and just hope that they've got a bit of reassurance
that we were there to help them,
and we tried our best to make them as comfortable
and we tried our best and as peaceful as we could.
I'm just so glad they did what they did. Absolute bloody heroes.
I'm just so glad they did what they And I hope, for their sake,
that what they've seen doesn't haunt them for a long, long time.
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation