The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari

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forgotusername
Lemon Pip
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Joined: February 19th, 2019, 2:29 pm

The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari

Post by forgotusername »

I watched this on Netflix. It's based on the eruption of White Island, New Zealand in 2019. It was widely reported at the time that tourists were on the island at the time and many died. The film is a mixture of live camera footage taken at the time, eye witness accounts and interviews with people who were there, including some who were badly injured. As you would expect, every effort was made to get help to evacuate those still on the island but three local helicopter pilots realised that they could be there soonest and landed on the island to bring survivors back. It was incredibly dangerous and heroic of these pilots who were told that the 11 emergency service helicopters that had been sent would not be arriving as officials felt it too unsafe. Instead three helicopters took all the survivors they could carry directly to the nearest hospital.
it's uncomfortable viewing but riveting too as the story unfolds and far better than any fictional disaster movie.

At the end of the film it said no-one had been found responsible for the days events and no more information was given about the pilots. This left me curious to know how New Zealand had acknowledged the heroism shown. I started looking and what I found was truly shocking. Instead of treating the pilots as heroes, the local Health and Safety agency is prosecuting them, not for helping but for being part of the local tours business taking people to the island. It beggars belief but a more blatant act of "ar-se" covering by those in charge you are unlikely to witness. Here is the article:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... ng-charges

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