APDR February 2020: News from across the Tasman

At 2.11 pm on Monday 9 December, 47 adventure tourists from a huge cruise ship moored at Tauranga, were on New Zealand’s most active volcano at Whakaari/White Island 50 km from shore when the volcano suddenly erupted. Clouds of hot ash and poisonous sulphur dioxide gas enveloped most of the party, causing very severe burns and a number of immediate fatalities.

While those casualties were being civilian helicoptered or ferried back to shore at Whakatane, for ambulance transfer to hospital, an RNZAF P-3K2 Orion at RNZAF Base Whenuapai was immediately tasked to fly to Whakaari/White Island to carry out surveillance over the area.

The NZDF, working with other agencies under the direction of NZ Police, also immediately sent a number of assets to the area to help as needed. Two NH90 helicopters were flown to Whakatane to assist, and OPV HMNZS Wellington with its embarked SH-2G(NZ) Seasprite helicopter was despatched from Auckland to Whakatane to offer support.

Read more in the current issue of APDR (Free to read with registration or via Facebook/Linkedin): https://venturaapdr.partica.online/apdr/apdr-feb-2020/features/news-from-across-the-tasman

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Kym Bergmann
Kym Bergmann is the editor for Asia Pacific Defence Reporter (APDR) and Defence Review Asia (DRA). He has more than 25 years of experience in journalism and the defence industry. After graduating with honours from the Australian National University, he joined Capital 7 television, holding several positions including foreign news editor and chief political correspondent. During that time he also wrote for Business Review Weekly, undertaking analysis of various defence matters.After two years on the staff of a federal minister, he moved to the defence industry and held senior positions in several companies, including Blohm+Voss, Thales, Celsius and Saab. In 1997 he was one of two Australians selected for the Thomson CSF 'Preparation for Senior Management' MBA course. He has also worked as a consultant for a number of companies including Raytheon, Tenix and others. He has served on the boards of Thomson Sintra Pacific and Saab Pacific.

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