101 East

New Zealand: Trapped in the Volcano

We investigate how a luxury cruise turned into a deadly nightmare when a volcano erupted on New Zealand’s White Island.

It was meant to be the cruise of a lifetime.

A trip on Ovation of the Seas promised the opportunity to get up close to New Zealand’s renowned natural beauty.

But on the afternoon of December 9, 2019, tragedy struck.

Cruise ship passengers and other day-trippers became trapped in the middle of a volcanic eruption on White Island – 21 people died, 19 of them were from the Ovation of the Seas.

101 East investigates how a luxury cruise turned into a deadly nightmare and whether more could have been done to prevent the loss of life.

Join the conversation @AJ101East