The mountain is fairly tame as far as eruptions go Based on historical data, risk would have been minimal Initial eruption is all that it gives, thereafter dormant for a decade at least, people living there know that |
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According to this article, 38 of the 47 people on the island during the eruption were on an excursion from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the seas. Scary…..
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a42295664/whakaari-volcano-victims-survivors/ |
“New Zealand's geological monitoring agency, GNS Science, upgraded the chance of an eruption in the next 24 hours to between 50 and 60 per cent. Ahead of the mission, New Zealand police deputy commissioner Mike Clement admitted he was worried for the safety of the recovery team. 'Let there be no mistake, it is not a zero-risk game and people are putting themselves on the front line to do the right thing,' he said. 'Of course I'm worried, I'd be inhuman if I wasn't worried.' … GNS also said current monitoring showed the appearance of shallow magma beneath the vent.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7788165/White-Island-rescue-workers-search-remaining-two-bodies.html |
What are you talking about dormant for a decade? Did you read any of the articles or watch the documentary? |
Jesse left on the 2nd boat, the Te Puia. His father was taken by helicopter but ultimately did not survive. |
Correct. His father was in the helicopter that was ordered to fly to the airport. The pilot decided to go against the authorities instructions and fly directly to the hospital. Sadly, the father passed away despite the heroic pilot’s actions. |
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I wish the documentary went into more detail about the order to not send any rescue to the island for being to unsafe.
The end of the doc said the other bodies were recovered a few days later (if I remember correctly) but it seems like an awful long time for that recovery. Also makes the rescue by the individual pilots all the more amazing. Sounds like they defied orders and just did a good thing. |
I did some googling and from what I can tell, they saved one, a woman named Stephanie whose Dad and younger sister died. They loaded her Dad on the helicopter too but he died about a month after. It sounds like she and Jesse were the only people who survived from the tour group that was closest to the volcano. |
Yes but eruptions can last days. They didn't know if the eruption was finished or not. It's definitely not a straightforward call. |
+1. My son is a volcanologist. He says another eruption could have followed without warning. How many lives would you have sacrificed if you were in charge of sending more personnel to the volcano? |
I just watched it. Jesse was rescued by the tour guide from the phoenix who stayed on the island after the phoenix left with the first batch of victims. I got the impression he left before the two maverick helicopter pilots (one of whom brought jesses dad to the hospital) arrived. The helicopter pilots got 12 people off the island who were still alive and left 8 deceased. Not sure how many of the 12 survived ultimately - maybe none. |