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This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
The man in charge of dispatching Defense Forces officers to Whakaari / White Island after the eruption has spoken of the stress and sleepless night before the high-risk mission.
NZDF / Supplied
The Whakaari / White Island mission to recover the bodies of the victims (file photo).
Four days after the disaster, a team of eight ventured back to the island to retrieve six bodies; at that time there was still a 40 to 60 percent chance of another eruption.
The mission was considered so dangerous that the head of the Defense Force had to sign a special exemption without going through the Health and Safety protocols.
READ MORE:
* When a volcano erupts and you are the rescuer – emergency services look back at Whakaari
* ‘I felt like I was in a different world’: The doctors and military behind the Whakaari / White Island rescue and recovery
* Whakaari’s recovery operation: behind the scenes
* White Island / Whakaari – Health and safety laws do not apply for eruption rescue to take place
Through the ashfall and murky waters, HMNZS Wellington could be seen off the coast of Whakatāne.
During the days after the Whakaari eruption, the Navy ship sat in the water, near the island, near the bodies that had not made it home.
Eight specially trained explosive ordnance disposal officers had the job of going to the island and returning the bodies to the ship.
Lt. Col. Mike Nochete was the on-site commander in charge of managing the Defense Forces portion of the operation.
It was his call to send people to the active volcano, but the level of danger meant it had to be approved by the defense minister.
THINGS
On the afternoon of Monday, December 9, Whakaari / White Island erupted as people visited the live volcano. The consequences were tragic.
Nochete said that decision that played a lot in his mind.
He was thinking about all the things that could go wrong, the what-ifs, and the ways his colleagues could get hurt, he said.
“The night before the operation I didn’t sleep.
“I was on the boat and I was really dizzy.
“I hadn’t eaten, I hadn’t slept, I hadn’t had my coffee, so I had no caffeine.
“There was that level of uncertainty and concern about putting people in danger without being with them. That was quite difficult.”
It was the first time in his 20-year career that he had knowingly and knowingly put personnel under his command in danger, without being alongside them, he said.
“It was really uncomfortable, to be honest.
“As a scene commander, it was my responsibility to position myself as far forward as possible without being decisively involved in the actual operation.”
THINGS
Worksafe has indicted ten companies and three individuals for health and safety failures, but they cannot be named.
The eight-person team arrived on the island, wearing extremely heavy protective gear, knowing that there was a possibility that they could inhale toxic gases or burn their skin with acidic mud.
The squad’s senior medic told the Defense Forces that the mission was surreal.
“I took a look at what we were about to get into. Visibility was not very good and the terrain was very new.
“I felt like I was in a different world.
“People have commented that the photos look like we were on the moon and I guess that would be pretty accurate with what I was seeing at the time.”
The man said that if he were asked to do the same task again, it would be “a definite yes.”
“You have a sense of duty, especially when you sign up to work in emergency response.
“Regardless of whether he’s Squad E, whether he’s a paramedic, a firefighter or a policeman, he has a sense of duty and is fully aware of what he may be required to do.”
HMNZS Wellington’s commanding officer Tim Hall was there when the team returned with the bodies, which were then flown back to the mainland.
He said a chaplain blessed the hangar from which they departed and then there was a relief on board after accomplishing the mission.
The crew on board and the recovery team felt a great sense of responsibility for returning lost loved ones to whānau.
“The feeling was intense, intense emotions and intense activity. And then, once it was all over, a kind of massive feeling of relief and closure.”
‘Many tears and many hugs’
A week after the eruption, the families of the victims were brought to the ship for a private service and a minute of silence.
Hall said that helped everyone on board.
“Seeing the faces of the victim’s family and hearing their stories and you know, there were many tears and many hugs.
“It was really a great way for the ship company to shut down what was quite a busy period.”
The ship’s crew will gather Wednesday for a small memorial service.
Things
White Island, seen from the air during an eruption that occurred when a group of tourists was visiting the volcanic island.
Lt. Col. Mike Nochete said that a year later, the Defense Forces continued to reflect on the mission.
“There is a Maori proverb, look back, move forward, look back and reflect to move on.
“I guess from a personal perspective, it just shows why NZDF trains at the level that we do. We train to be combat ready, allowing us to operate in a variety of circumstances and environments.”
He said no one trained to recover bodies from a volcanic eruption, but they had the skills and people were brought home.
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
