This handout photo taken and released on December 13, 2019 by the New Zealand Defence Force shows soldiers taking part in a mission to retrieve some of the 22 bodies from White Island after the December 9 volcanic eruption, off the coast from Whakatane on New Zealand's North Island. Photo by Handout / New Zealand Defence Force / AFP
Wellington: A New Zealand judge on Tuesday dropped charges against two booking companies that helped organise tours to volcanic White Island on the day of its deadly eruption in 2019.
Around 50 people were visiting White Island, also known as Whakaari, in December 2019 when a deadly column of burning ash and steam blasted from a volcanic vent.
The eruption, off the coast of New Zealand's North Island, killed 22 people and left more than two dozen others with excruciating burns.
In a criminal trial starting earlier this year, six parties were initially charged with breaching health and safety regulations in the lead-up to the disaster.
Judge Evangelos Thomas on Tuesday dismissed charges against two booking companies -- Tauranga Tourism Services and ID Tours New Zealand -- who helped with ticketing and pre-tour logistics.
New Zealand's safety regulator had accused the companies of breaching their safety obligations by failing to provide the tourists with the necessary safety information.
But Thomas dismissed the charges because the booking companies were not running the tours themselves.
Earlier this month, Thomas also dropped charges against the island's three owners -- brothers Peter, Andrew and James Buttle -- saying there was a lack of evidence to be sure of a conviction.
That means of the six parties initially charged, only one -- Whakaari Management Limited -- is still facing charges.
