Tour operators told to pay £6.27m over volcanic eruption

Photo provided by Michael Schade shows tourists on a boat looking at the eruption of the volcano on White Island (Michael Schade/AP)

Tour booking agents and managers of a New Zealand island where a volcanic eruption killed 22 people in 2019 have been ordered to pay nearly 13 million NZ dollars (£6.27 million) in fines and reparations.

The holding company of the island’s owners, a boat tour operator and three companies that operated helicopter tours were found guilty of safety breaches at a three-month trial last year.