In December 2019, the Ovation of the Seas left Sydney bound for a 12-day trans-Tasman cruise to New Zealand. The luxury holiday promised great entertainment and the opportunity to get up close to the country’s renowned natural beauty. But things quickly turned nightmarish when a group of day-trippers and cruise ship passengers were trapped in the middle of a volcanic eruption. 47 people were inside the White Island volcano crater when it erupted. 21 were killed. 19 of them were from the Ovation of the Seas. Four Corners investigates what tourists understood about the dangers of visiting New Zealand’s most active volcano and whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
