HORRIFYING footage shows the moment tourists made a desperate escape when a volcano erupted before 22 people were killed.
Most of the holidaymakers were at White Island, new Zealandwhen the mountain suddenly erupted on December 9, 2019.
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The video that has been released now shows around 18 tourists and guides from a group of 47 people on the island, near the crater.
Wearing yellow helmets, some could be seen pulling out their phones to capture the huge billows of white and gray smoke billowing from the a volcano just one stone.
But one of the guides is urging the visitors to leave, shouting: “Come on boys, follow me.”
An American visitor then repeats his fear, telling the others to “move, move, move”.
Others then start shouting and they all run away from the valley.
Taking pictures of these aliens encourages people to hide behind rocks before they decide to continue running.
In the background, a cloud of steam and ash can be seen growing – growing bigger and bigger by the second.
Unfortunately, 22 people were killed a violent explosion – and most of the survivors were he was left badly burned.
Of the people who died, 14 were from Australia, five from America, two from New Zealand and one from Germany.
The release of the shocking video comes as important testing is underway.
Brothers Andrew, James and Peter Buttle, who own the island, their company Whakaari Management Ltd.; and tour operators ID Tours NZ Ltd. and Tauranga Tourism Services Ltd are facing charges of failing to adequately protect visitors and staff.
A government spokesman said on Tuesday that tourists had not received health and safety warnings before visiting New Zealand’s largest volcano before the eruption.
Prosecutor Kristy McDonald said in her opening statement that the explosion at the popular tourist attraction was not planned, but it was predictable.
He added: “They have not been given the opportunity to make an informed decision as to whether they want to risk entering the mysterious volcano that recently erupted in 2016.
“The tourism business on Whakaari was a dangerous business.
“It also involved trips to the volcano, taking people to the center of the valley in conditions where no one could tell when the eruption would erupt, and if the eruption did occur, those on Whakaari would die or be seriously injured.
“And unfortunately, that danger came true.”
One of the survivors of the explosion, 26 years old Stephanie Browitthe suffered severe burns to 70 percent of his body.
His father Paul and his sister Kristal, 21, was killed in the explosion while his mother Marie remained on board the Over of the Seas and watched in horror as the volcano erupted.
Visitors have not visited White Island since the incident.
Each company involved in the case will receive a fine of NZ$1.5 million (£720,000). Each family member charged faces a fine of NZ$300,000 (£144,000).
The trial, which is expected to last 16 weeks, is ongoing.
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