Whakaari/White Island eruption coronial inquest to begin in Whakatāne this week

At 2.11pm on December 9, 2019, Whakaari/White Island unleashed a deadly eruption. Forty-seven tourists and guides were visiting the marine volcano at the time; 22 died and 25 were injured. A series of court cases has probed the tragedy, attempting to extract some measure of justice. Now, almost six years after the eruption, a coroner will examine what happened that day.

A man who lost his brother in the White Island eruption believes the coronial inquest about to begin almost six years on is a “waste” of money.

The inquest will be formally opened in the Whakatāne District Court on Friday, before continuing in Auckland.

Survivors of the 2019 tragedy and bereaved family members of victims are expected to be among those attending the opening.

One relative not planning to participate, however, is Mark Inman.

His brother Hayden Marshall-Inman, a guide for White Island Tours, perished in the eruption. His body was never recovered, believed to have been washed into the sea.

Inman hopes the inquest will bring “closure” for other people who lost loved ones.

He said his own family had closure and were “looking to the future”.

Guides Marshall-Inman, 40, and Tipene Maangi, 24, and 20 tourists died from injuries sustained in the eruption.

The coronial process began in 2019, but was put on hold while eruption-related criminal proceedings were completed.

The inquest before Coroner Marcus Elliott will formally open in Whakatāne before continuing in Auckland’s Newmarket Hearing Centre from Monday, a Coroners Court spokesperson said.

Marine volcano Whakaari/White Island, located 49km offshore of Whakatāne, after the volcanic eruption of December 9, 2019. Photo / NZME

The first phase of the inquest, set down until November 28, will address events on the day of the eruption, the emergency response and the circumstances of the deaths.

The inquest will examine 21 of the 22 deaths, excluding an injured man who died after being repatriated to Australia.

A second phase, to be held in 2026, will address matters preceding the eruption, including regulatory oversight of tours to Whakaari and how risks were managed.

Inquest a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’

Inman told NZME he did not think the inquest would bring “anything to light that hasn’t already been brought to light”.

“Personally, I don’t think there’s any questions or answers that are really needed.

“We went through the WorkSafe inquiry and, even then, I felt that was a waste of time and money.”

RNZ reported in November 2023 that WorkSafe’s investigation and trial over health and safety failings before the eruption had cost $15.8 million to date.

Mark Inman, whose brother Hayden Marshall-Inman died in the December 2019 eruption, believes the inquest is a waste of money. Photo / Stephen Parker

Inman said this money “could have gone back into the first responders, adventure-based tourism … or making sure there’s more robust processes in place for future operations”.

He did not believe any of the White Island tour guiding companies “ever took anybody out there to harm them”.

“They did their best to mitigate any risk they could by following WorkSafe’s guidelines.”

In his view, the coronial inquest was “another waste of taxpayers’ money”.

“It’s not going to change anything for us.

“It might bring some closure for some of the other families, and I hope it does if that’s the case, but for us, we’ve had closure and we’re looking to the future, and one of those ways is by helping first responders through our charitable trust …”

A memorial plaque dedicated to Hayden Marshall-Inman at the Whakatāne Sport Fishing Club.

Inman and his family founded the Marshall-Inman Whakaari Trust.

Inman organised a concert last year that raised $50,000. He also ran an annual golf tournament.

“We’ve raised … $250,000 over the last five years. It’s all gone back to the first responders.”

He has also been involved in work to establish a memorial.

What’s expected at the inquest

A Coroners Court spokesperson said the inquest opening would include a mihi whakatau (welcome speech) led by Whakatāne iwi Ngāti Awa.

There would be an acknowledgment of the deceased, personal statements from bereaved families and survivors, and opening statements from other interested parties, including agencies involved in the emergency and medical response.

Some families from overseas were expected to be in New Zealand for the inquest, the spokesperson said.

Forty-five witnesses were scheduled to give evidence. The first evidence would be heard in Auckland.

The death of Australian Paul Browitt, 55, would not be examined by the inquest.

The injured father was repatriated to Melbourne three days after the eruption and died a month later.

The spokesperson said the coroner exercised his discretion under the Coroner’s Act not to open an inquiry into Browitt’s death, which was also his family’s wish.

His daughter Krystal Browitt, 21, died on Whakaari and her death is included in the inquest.

Detailed interim suppression orders apply to the proceedings, preventing publication of many bereaved family members’, survivors’ and witnesses’ names; some documents, statements and medical records; and video or photographs not already in the public domain.

“The orders are sought on the basis that publication would be incompatible with the applicants’ ongoing recovery from extreme trauma, as well as to protect their privacy,” a court minute said.

Coroner Marcus Elliott will lead the Whakaari/White Island eruption inquest. Photo / George Heard

The Coroner’s Court website said the inquiries were “internationally and nationally significant”.

A coronial inquest aimed to find out the facts of a death. It did not decide who was guilty of causing a death, or civil, criminal or disciplinary liability.

It aimed to establish the truth of what occurred with a view to making findings and recommendations to prevent deaths in similar circumstances in the future.

The spokesperson said while it was a public court hearing, seating at the Whakatāne court would be prioritised for participants, as well as people with a direct interest, such as bereaved family members and survivors.

There was unlikely to be space for members of the public.

The Bay of Plenty Times asked the Ministry of Justice how much the coronial inquiries had cost to date, and what the expected cost would be once the inquest had finished.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.