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Against The Odds

Whakaari: Eruption on White Island | Hell on Earth | 2

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.77.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2024

⏱️ 42 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As a wave of burning steam, ash and debris rolls down toward the shore, 47 tourists and guides sprint for cover, but there is no avoiding the blast. Meanwhile, a boat full of tourists that just left White Island returns to help. And back on the mainland, a local helicopter pilot named Mark Law sees the eruption and makes a fateful decision to fly out to look for survivors.


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Against the Odds early and ad-free right now.

0:05.6

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

0:09.8

A listener note. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events.

0:15.7

Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.

0:21.9

This episode contains graphic imagery that some listeners may find disturbing.

0:26.6

Please be advised.

0:36.5

Helicopter pilot Brian DePau sprints toward the shoreline,

0:40.9

trying to outrace the eruption of steam and hot ash closing in on him.

0:45.6

If he can get to the water in time, maybe he'll survive.

0:50.4

It's 2.11 in the afternoon on December 9th, 2019. Seconds ago, he was leading his four German

0:57.8

clients back to their helicopter to return to the mainland. Then he heard a terrible roar. He

1:05.1

turned around and couldn't believe his eyes. A towering plume of smoke and ash was spewing out of the acid lake they'd

1:13.5

been staring into just a few minutes earlier. For a second, his brain couldn't quite process

1:19.8

what he was seeing. How was this possible? Yes, White Island is considered an active volcano. In fact, that's what makes it such a popular tourist attraction.

1:32.0

But it's not supposed to erupt.

1:35.8

Brian looked at his helicopter, perched on a landing platform at least 300 yards away.

1:42.0

There was no way he and his passengers could get to it in time. But the

1:46.9

glittering blue water off the shoreline? That was closer, maybe 150 yards away. But was it close

1:54.9

enough? He didn't know, but he didn't have time to find out. He screamed to his clients to follow him,

2:03.6

and then race down the stony path toward the water.

2:07.6

As he runs, he feels the blistering heat sear his back,

2:12.6

like a devil snapping at his heels.

...

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