A charter company has been sentenced for health and safety failings in relation to the Whakaari/White Island eruption.
WorkSafe New Zealand carried out its largest ever investigation into the circumstances of tourists and workers being on the island leading up to the eruption on December 9, 2019.
"It’s encouraging to see Inflite Charters Limited plead guilty at this reasonably early stage in the court process and take accountability for not doing enough to keep people safe," says WorkSafe chief executive Phil Parkes.
"While Inflite Charters Limited didn’t have customers on Whakaari/White Island when it erupted, it had been operating tours earlier in the day. It very easily could have been their workers or customers killed or harmed if the eruption had happened at a different time.
"This is a clear reminder to all businesses they are responsible for keeping people healthy and safe from when work is planned to when the work concludes – not just when the activity is happening."
Twelve other parties have been charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to activities on Whakaari/White Island on the day it erupted. As these matters remain before the court, WorkSafe cannot provide any additional comment.
