Jo Raphael: Closure needed for Whakaari/White Island victims

A tribute of flowers on the waterfront in Whakatāne after the December 9 eruption. Photo / File

OPINION

No one can presume to know what the families and the survivors of last year's Whakaari/White Island eruption went through – and are still going through.

But we can imagine.

We can imagine the thrill of the boat ride out to the island. The trepidation building. Knowing that you're about the stand on top of a sleeping giant.

Perhaps the sense of adventure – exploring the island with your new spouse as Matt and Lauren Urey were - they were on their honeymoon.

Perhaps the excitement of a family holiday – as were the Browitts. Stephanie, her sister Krystal and father Paul were visiting from Australia.

Then imagine the horror of realising the giant is awakening. The sound of the eruption spewing out boiling hot gas and ash. Terror, as you realise there is no escape.

Then imagine the agony of the painful burns, the relief of being rescued and then the heartbreak for those loved ones who didn't make it.

Twenty-two people died as a result of Whakaari's eruption.

Wednesday marks the first year anniversary of that horrific day. Families and loved ones were torn apart in an instant.

Charges have been laid by WorkSafe against 13 parties, almost one week shy of the anniversary.

However, the country's collective outpouring of grief and support for the victims and those who cared for them in the aftermath, hasn't gone away - a petition launched, almost immediately, called for the charges to be dropped.

Mark Inman, brother of the hero guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, who helped rescue tourists before succumbing to his injuries, says Hayden would not have wanted the charges to be laid.

"I have always been adamant no criminal charges should be laid, and that's also the view our family shares."

However, the charges have brought some relief to Meredith Dallow, whose twin Gavin Dallow died with his 15-year-old stepdaughter Zoe Hosking.

"I'm glad the WorkSafe investigation went ahead and there is an outcome but it doesn't really put closure to things," she said from Adelaide.

She believes closure won't come until the court cases and coronial inquest are over.

Both perspectives, in my view, are correct in their own way. On one hand, there are questions to be answered and learnings to be had but is prosecution the right way of achieving that?

On the other hand, people died. Horrifically and painfully. Grieving family members have an understandable desire to hold someone to account and, if the process to come determines it is warranted, to get some sort of justice.

No investigation, charges, or prosecution can bring those loved ones back, but there needs to be closure and some sort of peace, paltry as it may be, for these families.