Evidence from the first witness in the Whakaari / White Island trial was heard at Auckland District Court this morning, recounting the horrific moment the cloud of ash and toxic gas overcame him and his wife.
American Matthew Urey and his wife Lauren Urey sustained serious injuries when the volcano erupted. They were on their honeymoon at the time of the December 9, 2019 blast that killed 22 people.
Today began with a video of Urey's interview in hospital on January 24, 2020.
In the video, a heavily bandaged Urey recalled how the White Island tour "really caught [his] eye" when planning the trip.
"They took us out to sea, the seas were extremely rough," he recalled.
"My wife volunteered us to be in the first group [to go ashore on Whakaari].
"While we were on the boat they talked about the island and mentioned it was stage two, class two or something."
At the time of the blast, the island was at volcanic alert level two. Alert level three is an eruption.
Urey said they started asking more questions when they had landed, and he recalled how his wife was panicked.
She was worried because it was about three years since the last eruption, which came about three years after the one before that.
Once on the island, they were given a safety briefing.
Urey added that he was told an eruption early-warning system was in the works, but it wasn't operational yet.
And the guides cautioned the tourists to follow their path exactly as part of the safety brief.
"Don't lag behind, don't go ahead, and stay on the path," the guides said as part of their safety briefing, Urey recalled.
He was also given a gas mask and a hard hat and was wearing his own sunglasses, which he thought helped save his eyes.
Urey recounted the moment the volcano erupted, explaining that he didn't hear the blast, he just saw the smoke plume after someone said "look".
"I already had my camera running so I snapped a quick picture right as the eruption was starting," he said.
"I obviously didn't realise at the time."
The court heard about the group's desperate flight away from the oncoming current of ash.
"We got halfway, maybe two-thirds of the way [back to the boat]," he said.
Then, the newlywed couple took shelter behind a rock and "rode it out".
"I remember feeling my flesh burning and yelling out at one point, just in pain.
"I remember screaming out when it was burning my skin, and I couldn't see when it was finished" because of the ash, Urey said later, adding the eruption "felt like hours" and he felt like he "couldn't breathe", despite the respirator.
"I checked as soon as the cloud cleared to make sure my wife was OK," he said through tears.
"Once I knew she was OK, I stood up and grabbed her and we started again, we couldn't run any more.
"She fell at one point and burned the palm of her right hand."
Urey was asked about his awareness of what to do in the event of an eruption.
"Run, that was pretty much the extent of it... At the time of the eruption, she [the guide] just said run, and we just followed her."
Urey said there was no mention of what to do after running, calling the environment when they reached the wharf "very, very chaotic".
The Phoenix crew and passengers did their best to tend the extensive injuries after the 2019 eruption. (Source: 1News)
Urey added that when they were trying to leave the island, waiting on the dock, he was afraid there would be another blast.
"It was very scary," he said. "By the time we were at the dock it was standing room only."
Grasping at the rungs of the wharf's 90-year-old metal ladder was a struggle, as everyone was burnt, he added.
When survivors boarded the Phoenix, people helped them as best they could —but there was very little room, Urey said.
It took about an hour-and-a-half to get back to the mainland, Urey said.
He recalled how his wife felt freezing and someone tried to keep her warm. They were given fresh water to drink.
He and his wife were among the first off the boat in Whakatāne, Urey said.
He could walk off the boat of his own accord — behind his wife, who was on a stretcher.
"We went to the nearby hospital and there we were separated, I lost track of her from there," he said, adding 53% of his body was burnt.
He said the guides had told them the island was at level two: "I certainly didn't interpret it as, there's a risk of eruption."
They were told the gas masks were only for their comfort, which "seemed kind of odd", Urey said, but he "didn't really question it".
In the hospital, one of the doctors held his phone so he could call his mother and let her know he was safe, Urey said.
Questions from the prosecution
At the end of the recorded interview, Urey answered questions from Worksafe lawyer Kristy McDonald KC.
He didn't recall anything specific to White Island in the waiver he signed with Royal Caribbean cruises.
Asked if he understood he was walking across the crater floor on the way to the crater lake, Urey said: "No I did not."
Asked about the marketing, he said it sounded "very exciting" and there was nothing that made it seem "particularly dangerous".
"There was never any explanation of what level two meant," Urey said, adding he thought level five or ten would be an eruption.
"We were just looking to relax, we weren't looking for thrills."
He also explained his covered skin only sustained superficial burns. The worst burns he sustained were on uncovered parts of his body.
Questions from the defence
Defence lawyer David Neutze, representing ID Tours, also asked Urey questions at the conclusion of his video evidence.
He began by acknowledging the "incredibly traumatic" events of December 9, 2019.
He also acknowledged Urey's "extremely difficult" recovery and his "very brave" decision to give evidence in court today.
Neutze then presented a number of documents, including Royal Caribbean cruise promotional material.
The material called Whakaari "one of the world's most active volcanoes", describing "roaring steam vents" and an "amazing lake of steaming acid". Urey admitted he'd probably seen it before booking the trip.
But, he stressed that it's "been so long now" and doesn't remember much about the time of booking.
Urey said that he probably didn't read the full Royal Caribbean waiver before signing it.
The other two lead defence lawyers and the judge declined the opportunity to ask questions.
But Judge Evangelos Thomas ended by addressing Urey directly.
"We're so sorry for what you and your wife and your families will have endured," he said.
SHARE ME