# Don't play in active volcanoes, people! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596 "2019-12-09T15:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/1 "2019-12-09T15:44:40Z")
[Some unknown number of tourists dead in New Zealand.](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/dec/09/new-zealand-volcano-tourists-injured-and-missing-after-eruption-on-white-island-live) This was the caldera of…and I can’t stress this enough…New Zealand’s **most active volcano**. And cruise liners were dropping parties off at it :smack: Tragic for those people, but it should never have been allowed in the first place. Those things wipe out groups of [trained professionals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galeras_tragedy). Day-trippers should just stay the hell away. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/2 "2019-12-09T16:10:13Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > Prime minister Jacinda Ardern arrived in Whakatane, the nearest major town, late on Monday night and met with local council leaders. **She is expected to travel to the island on Tuesday.** > New Zealand police deputy commissioner John Timms told a briefing that police and rescue crews have still not been able to access to the island, after advice from volcano experts. **“The physical environment is unsafe for us to return to the island.”.** So not safe enough for the rescue crews but the Prime Minister will go anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/3 "2019-12-09T16:39:25Z")
Next week they’ll be voting to outlaw volcanoes. You knew somebody was gonna say it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/4 "2019-12-09T16:49:36Z")
It’s dangerous enough playing that the floor is lava… ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/5 "2019-12-09T16:50:41Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [Some unknown number of tourists dead in New Zealand.](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/dec/09/new-zealand-volcano-tourists-injured-and-missing-after-eruption-on-white-island-live) > > This was the caldera of…and I can’t stress this enough…New Zealand’s **most active volcano**. And cruise liners were dropping parties off at it :smack: > > Tragic for those people, but it should never have been allowed in the first place. Those things wipe out groups of [trained professionals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galeras_tragedy). Day-trippers should just stay the hell away. Not just an active volcano, but one for which specific warnings of increased chance of eruption had [recently been issued](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/09/white-island-new-zealand-volcano-eruption-with-tourist-present). > [@](#): > > Dr Ken Glairdhill, of GNS Science, said the volcano was unpredictable. > > “It was not a particularly big eruption,” he said. “It was almost like a throat-clearing eruption. > > “It showed increased activity for the last few weeks, so we raised the alert level.” > > A level four alert was issued for the volcano, also known by its Māori name Whakaari, indicating that a “moderate volcanic eruption” was possible, according to the science agency GeoNet. The scale runs from zero to five – a major eruption. It would be interesting to know how much of that pertinent information had been made clear to the tourists. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/6 "2019-12-09T17:55:37Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > From the article: > So not safe enough for the rescue crews but the Prime Minister will go anyway… There have been helicopters flying over to look for signs of life. The prime minister should be able to get her hands on a helicopter and fly by without being in danger. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/7 "2019-12-09T17:56:48Z")
New Zealand has always had awesome tourist trip ideas. Like in the late 1970’s when they thought it would be a grand idea to run tourist flights to Antarctica in a DC-10. Which was great, until they ran a plane at full speed into Mount Erebus, killing 257. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/8 "2019-12-09T18:33:53Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Tragic for those people, but it should never have been allowed in the first place. Should never have been allowed by the cruise line or the government? I am not a fan of outlawing behavior that puts your own life at risk. As long as: 1. You are at an age/mental state that you can make that decision. 2. We aren’t going to ask anyone else to be in danger to rescue your ass when you get in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/9 "2019-12-09T18:43:09Z")
Not everyone can be Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/10 "2019-12-09T19:19:31Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Should never have been allowed by the cruise line or the government? I am not a fan of outlawing behavior that puts your own life at risk. As long as: > > 1. You are at an age/mental state that you can make that decision. > > 2. We aren’t going to ask anyone else to be in danger to rescue your ass when you get in trouble. For #1 I would say that it should be an informed decision. If the cruise line an gov. Say that it’s safe why should folks not believe them? ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/11 "2019-12-09T19:52:28Z")
Do you tell people not to visit Old Faithful, too? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/12 "2019-12-09T20:02:27Z")
> [@Kovitlac](#): > > Do you tell people not to visit Old Faithful, too? Me, I just don’t get out of bed in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/13 "2019-12-09T20:16:04Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Not everyone can be Tom Hanks. But Tom Hanks seems to be everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/14 "2019-12-09T20:21:01Z")
> [@Kovitlac](#): > > Do you tell people not to visit Old Faithful, too? [Old Faithful has an obvious safe viewing area](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Old+Faithful+Geyser/@44.460393,-110.8283494,225m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5351ed1c78b0412d:0xdaa08917bf693ec9!8m2!3d44.4604724!4d-110.8281308) whereas [White Island does not](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Whakaari+%2F+White+Island/@-37.5213829,177.1805276,2000m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6d6fc17ffd35122d:0xf00ef62249c07c0!8m2!3d-37.522567!4d177.1796793). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/15 "2019-12-09T20:28:03Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Which was great, until they ran a plane at full speed into Mount Erebus, killing 257. I suspect it would have been almost as bad to crash on Mt Erebus at half speed. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/16 "2019-12-09T20:40:52Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Should never have been allowed by the cruise line or the government? The government. > [@](#): > > I am not a fan of outlawing behavior that puts your own life at risk. As long as: > > 1. You are at an age/mental state that you can make that decision. > 2. We aren’t going to ask anyone else to be in danger to rescue your ass when you get in trouble. So, not a fan of seat belts or helmet laws, I take it. Well, there’s always some. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/17 "2019-12-09T20:59:42Z")
Eh. The volcano has had lots and lots of tourists and almost none of them have been killed, so the odds of being safe have been pretty good most of the time. It is almost like saying never live in the US Midwest because for a few minutes every number of years any one spot might be hit by a FU tornado. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/18 "2019-12-09T21:00:14Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So, not a fan of seat belts or helmet laws, I take it. Well, there’s always some. I do both (well, either/or, depending upon vehicle) but I do because it’s a smart idea & not because the government mandates it. I look at the risk & those aren’t ones worth taking. Now if it was going to be my only time in NZ & the only chance I’d get to see some spectacular scenery I might be willing to impart some risk _if_ I was made aware of it. Generally, cruise-operated tours are safe (barring a rare accident). Were the participants, who may have booked their excursions months ago, made aware of the recent geologic activity? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/19 "2019-12-09T21:26:50Z")
The increased-alert status should have had some effect in limiting tourist activity, if it was condition 4 out of 5 and 5 is actually erupting. Frankly I believe the cruise ship people would fully understand a cancellation for that reason. Roasted by pyroclastic flow has got to be a nasty way to go. Here’s rooting for the medical teams working on the injured. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596/20 "2019-12-09T21:35:36Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > New Zealand has always had awesome tourist trip ideas. Like in the late 1970’s when they thought it would be a grand idea to run tourist flights to Antarctica in a DC-10. Which was great, until they ran a plane at full speed into Mount Erebus, killing 257. New Zealand doesn’t offer those flights anymore from what I can gather from a brief Google search, but their Aussie neighbors still do. [You can take a flight like that on Qantas](https://www.antarcticaflights.com.au/), departing from Melbourne. Technically the flight is chartered by a third party tour operator; it isn’t marketed by Qantas itself as far as I can tell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-play-in-active-volcanoes-people/844596.md?page=2)