The volcano that was ready to blow: How scientists warned tourists to stay away from White Island years before it erupted - but the advice was ignored
- White Island volcano off New Zealand erupted injuring up to 20 on Monday
- Between 2011 and 2016 scientists warned it was too dangerous to travel to
- Last month monitoring outfit GNS Science raised the alert level for the volcano
- But still tourists wanted to visit and ignored warnings from the experts
Tourists have been travelling to White Island for years despite warnings from scientists that it could erupt at any time.
Between 2011 and 2016 the volcano 50km north of New Zealand's north island - which erupted injuring 20 on Monday - had a period of increased activity but still boatloads of tourists arrived on day trips.
Volcanologists at the time refused to step foot on the island because it was too dangerous and warned tourists not to go.
Instead they conducted all their observation operations with drones and aircraft.
In a video filmed by storm chaser Geoff Mackley in 2013, one volcanologist said: 'How important is it to collect the data? Is it worth risking your life for?'
Between 2011 and 2016 the volcano to the north of New Zealand's north island - which erupted injuring 20 on Monday - had a period of increased activity but still boatloads of tourists arrived
In recent weeks the volcano has been going through another period of activity but tourism was not stopped.
Last month monitoring outfit GNS Science raised the alert level for the volcano to level two because of increase activity.
'Volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island and some monitored parameters show further increases in activity,' the agency said.
'Hazards on the island are now greater than during the past few weeks.
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'The patterns of signals are similar to those through the 2011 - 2016 period and suggest that Whakaari/White Island may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal.
On Monday an eruption happened at about 2.15pm local time on Monday.
A second, slightly smaller eruption went off at 3.45pm, according to local fishermen.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addressed the incident on Monday afternoon, saying: 'At this stage we believe around 100 people were around or on the island at this stage not all of them are accounted for.'
A rescue operation was launched to save people who were pictured inside the crater at 2.10pm, minutes before the explosion, on the White Island Crater Rim camera.
Judy Turner, the Mayor of Whakatane confirmed tourists on the island have been injured.
White Island is the most active cone volcano in New Zealand and has erupted several times before, recently in 2016 and 2012.
White Island Whakaari crater, Erupting ash, steam and sulphur dioxide
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