Victim’s brother explains why Whakaari / White Island should be reopened to tourists

• Originally Posted by Maori TV

Whakaari must be reopened to tourists, according to Mark Inman, the brother of Hayden Marshall Inman who died in Whakaari last year.

Marshall Inman, a 40-year-old tour guide from Wakatan, was one of 22 people who lost their lives in the blast – a tragedy that forever changed the lives of a cohesive community and Wanau on that fateful day.

The body of the 40-year-old man has not been found.

But Inman cites Mount Everest as a reason to reopen tourist visits to White Island.

“The beautiful Maunga that he represents can be compared to the risk of going there with Everest. There are many people who lost their loved ones there but still go there.”

Worth the risk

“If he doesn’t return to Wuhay,” says his brother, “Hayden will be disappointed.”

“You can spend a lot of money on the most expensive gear in the world, you can sign concessions, you can analyze and mitigate the risks, but at the end of the day adventure tourism is adventure tourism.”

Inman says he cannot comment on the news that the helicopter pilots who rescued some survivors of the eruption on December 9 last year have been accused of crimes related to the eruption by WorkSafe but he asks: “That the pilots are criminalized because of the Kiwi Everyday heroics, What kind of society will we become? ”

Inman himself, a commercial pilot, wanted to attempt the landing to save his brother’s body, but was warned because aviation officials became concerned about the continuing explosions on the island.