"Tour Operators Ordered to Pay Millions in Compensation for White Island Volcano Disaster"

A New Zealand court has ordered tour operators to pay NZ$10m in compensation to the victims of the 2019 White Island volcano eruption, where 22 people died and many others were gravely injured. The firms were found guilty of negligence and safety breaches for ignoring signs of heightened volcanic activity. The compensation, described as a "token recognition" of the victims' suffering, will be divided among the victims and their families. The owners of the island were also fined for breaching workplace safety laws, and tourism activities on White Island have not resumed since the eruption.