04:54

The mayor of Whakatāne, Judy Turner, has held a press conference in the small coastal town this afternoon during which she said she “welcomed” the criminal investigation into the disaster and hoped no stone would be left unturned, as everyone wanted reassurance that nothing “untoward” had taken place

“It’s a natural question that comes out of the event, I don’t think there’s anything particular that is of concern,” she said.

“We do feel your pain, and we’re here to support you,” Turner added of the families gathering in town to mourn their loved ones, or wait for their bodies to be returned.



The mayor said she continued to support tours of White Island in the future, but first questions needed to be answered as to who, if anyone, was responsible for the disaster, seh said, and if tourists should have been on the island when a level-2 threat was present.

The mayor of Whakatāne, Judy Turner, welcomed the investigation into the circumstances of the deaths on White Island. Photograph: David Rowland/EPA

“At the time they went out it was a level 2, and in the matrix of things that is not considered a high reading ... they have been out numerous times at that level.”

Turner acknowledged that White Island tours had offered tourists “an amazing adventure tourism opportunity” and had been running for 30 years without any problems.

“You’ll be aware that tourism is significant for our local area. We are aware there are questions and you can be assured ... that at the appropriate time we will answer the questions that need to be asked.”

Turner said police were working around the clock to get the remaining bodies off the Island, and boats had been stationed 1km off the coast of the island, from which drones had been launched on reconnaissance missions to monitor when it would be safe for police to land.

When bodies were able to be retrieved, they would first be flown to Whakatane airport which was being prepared today, and then to the offices of the coroner in Auckland, she said.

Turner added that while the local Iwi, Ngati Awa, had been showing “aroha” to those affected, she had not yet spoken to the tribe’s elders.

