American woman says she thought she would die when New Zealand volcano erupted

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

An American woman says she told her new husband she loved him and was certain they would die when a New Zealand volcano erupted in 2019, killing 22 people. Lauren and Matt Urey returned to New Zealand from their home in Richmond, Virginia, to testify Wednesday in the Auckland District Court in the trial of three tourism companies and three directors charged with safety breaches over the Dec. 9 White Island disaster. The honeymooning couple was among 47 people on White Island when superheated gases erupted. Most of the 25 people who survived were severely burned, including the Ureys. The court was shown video statements as well as their testimony.