In a court hearing on Thursday, a helicopter pilot recounted how he and two of his passengers narrowly escaped serious injury by jumping into the ocean when a New Zealand volcano erupted in 2019, resulting in the deaths of 22 individuals. Unfortunately, two other passengers were unable to reach the water in time and suffered severe burns from the eruption’s hot ash cloud. The pilot, Brian Depauw, credited their survival to the decision to jump into the water. According to Depauw, “The water is what saved us.”
At the time of the volcano eruption, approximately 47 tourists and their guides were exploring White Island. Unfortunately, many of the survivors suffered severe burns. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship “Ovation of the Seas” confirmed that some guests were touring the island. American honeymooners, Lauren Barham and Matthew Urey, were among the tourists on the cruise and were both hospitalized. Lauren’s mother expressed that if her daughter had known the risks involved, she would not have gone.
According to workplace regulators cited in a BBC report, the eruption was not unforeseeable, but tour operators were ill-prepared for such an event. Depauw, who had only recently started working for Volcanic Air, revealed that it was his first unsupervised flight with the company. Before the eruption, he jokingly told his German passengers, “If you see me run, follow me.” When the volcano erupted, Depauw decided that heading to the water was the safer option rather than returning to the helicopter as the passengers wanted.
Depauw recalled the moment when he witnessed the eruption’s plume and debris approaching. He exclaimed, “Run, run, run to the water. Follow me.” Despite their efforts, Depauw and one couple were overtaken by the ash before reaching the water. He described the experience as being surrounded by darkness until he finally glimpsed some light. Depauw then guided his two passengers, who had avoided burns, to a nearby boat. Unfortunately, the other couple who didn’t make it to the water suffered severe burns. Photographs presented in court showed the damage to Depauw’s helicopter due to the volcanic eruption.
During the court hearing, Depauw revealed that he believed there would have been warning signs before the volcano erupted. He was unaware that the volcano had already erupted in 2016. His injuries from the incident were relatively minor, including a cut knee, a pulled back muscle, and temporary irritation to his eyes from the ash. The island’s owners and tour operators have pleaded not guilty to the charges, although other tour operators involved have pleaded guilty and will be fined at a later date.
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