Whakaari/White Island: Family of victims focus on anniversary
Three members of the Buttle family who have owned Whakaari/White Island since 1936 have confirmed they are among those charged over last year's deadly eruption. After a year-long investigation, WorkSafe has laid charges against 10 organisations and three individuals yesterday The island is owned by the Buttle family through Whakaari Management Limited and its three directors, James, Peter and Andrew Buttle, have confirmed they are the three individuals charged. White Island Tours and Volcanic Air Safaris both say they're facing charges. GNS Science and the National Emergency Management Agency - formerly Civil Defence - have also waived name suppression. There were 47 people on the island at the time of the volcanic eruption last December, and 22 of them were killed or later died of their injuries. Australian mother and daughter, Julie and Jessica Richards, were two of the victims. They were on the trip of a lifetime, travelling on the cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas. A family spokesperson John Mickle told our reporter Charlotte Cook they knew charges were coming but the family is more focused on next week's anniversary and trying to cope with that.