Whakaari sentencing begins: Max $1.5m fine possible

Sentencing in the Whakaari/White Island case begins today, with victims of the devastating 2019 eruption set to tell the court how it's impacted their lives.

Six parties are being sentenced in Auckland for health and safety breaches before the eruption. Jordan Lane explains how we got here and what happens next.

The charges were to do with safety failings ahead of the eruption. The parties were not blamed for the eruption itself and nor were the charges connected to anything that happened after the eruption such as rescue efforts.

Some of the helicopter pilots who received recognition for their bravery after the eruption were connected to companies charged for failings ahead of the eruption. None of the pilots were charged individually.

Research institute GNS Science pleaded guilty to one charge while tour companies White Island Tours, Volcanic Air Safaris, Aerius Limited and Kahu New Zealand each pleaded guilty to two charges.

Whakaari Management Limited (WML) manages the island on behalf of its owners the Buttle brothers and is directed by them. WML was found guilty of one charge after a lengthy trial last year.

The sentencing is expected to last two weeks. It will begin this morning with the first victim impact statements.

Some of the victims have already told their eruption stories at the trial.

Among the witnesses were a helicopter pilot on his first unsupervised flight to Whakaari who took shelter underwater, an American visitor on her honeymoon who clutched her new husband's hand, and a then-19-year-old whose mother, father and sister all died.

WML faces a maximum fine of $1.5m and GNS Science faces a maximum fine of $500,000.

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White Island Tours and Volcanic Air Safaris both face maximum fines of $1.5 million for each of their two charges, while Aerius and Kahu face maximum fines of $500,000 for each of their two charges.

Another company, Inflite Charters, has already been ordered to pay a fine of $267,500 after pleading guilty in connection with the case.