List of disasters in New Zealand by death toll explained

This is a list of New Zealand disasters by death toll, listing major peacetime disasters which occurred in New Zealand and its territories or involved a significant number of New Zealand citizens, in a specific incident, where the loss of life was 10 or more.

100 or more deaths

Deaths	Name	Type	Date	Location	Notes
	Air New Zealand Flight 901	airliner accident		Mount Erebus, Ross Island, Antarctica	Controlled flight into terrain
^[1]	earthquake 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Hawke's Bay region, Napier^[2]	1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake	earthquake		20 km north of Napier
+	1820s Southland tsunami	tsunami	s	Orepuki beach	Possibly more than 200 killed
		shipwreck		off Manukau Heads, near Auckland
^[3]	2011 Christchurch earthquake	earthquake		Christchurch
	Tangiwai disaster	train wreck/lahar		Whangaehu River
+^[4]	1st Little Waihi landslide	landslide		Waihi Village
		shipwreck		off Waipapa Point
		shipwreck		off Great Barrier Island
–153^[5] ^[6]	1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera	volcanic eruption		Mount Tarawera

50 to 99 deaths

Deaths	Name or description	Type	Date	Location	Notes
	Fiery Star	shipwreck		240 km off the Chatham Islands
	SS Penguin	shipwreck		off Cape Terawhiti
^[7]	General Grant	shipwreck		Auckland Island	10 castaways survived the wreck and were successfully rescued.
^[8]	Brunner Mine disaster	mine explosion		Brunner
^[9]	2nd Little Waihi Landslide	landslide		Waihi Village	Tribal leader Mananui Te Heuheu Tukino II and most of his family were killed in the landslide
^[10]		shipwreck		Barrett Reef, Wellington Harbour
	City of Dunedin	shipwreck		off Cape Terawhiti	There are estimates of between 250 and 600 passengers perishing, but these reports were 20 or more years later
+	Blizzard and Flood of 1863	floods and blizzards	–	Central Otago goldfields	The actual death toll was probably higher because of the transient nature of the miners and the ruggedness of the country
	Christchurch mosque shootings	terrorist attack		Christchurch

10 to 49 deaths

Deaths	Name or description	Type	Date	Location	Notes
	Featherston Prisoner of war camp riot	riot		Featherston
	SS Elingamite	shipwreck		off West Island in the Three Kings Islands
	Ralph Mine disaster	mine explosion		Huntly	methane and coal dust explosion^[11]
	Ballantyne's store disaster	fire		Christchurch
+^[12] ^[13]	Great storm of 1868, flash floods and 12 shipwrecks	storm		Predominantly eastern areas of New Zealand	Death toll likely understated as impact on many Māori unknown
	Seacliff Lunatic Asylum	fire		Seacliff
	Kaitangata Mine disaster	mine explosion		Kaitangata	explosion of fire-damp (methane)
^[14]	SS Taiaroa	shipwreck		Waiau Toa / Clarence River mouth
^[15]	Dunedin	shipwreck (presumed)		between Oamaru and London
	Marlborough	shipwreck (presumed)		between Lyttelton and London
^[16]	MV Kaitawa	shipwreck		near Pandora Bank, Cape Reinga
	Pike River Mine disaster	mine explosion		northwest of Greymouth	large methane explosion^[17]
	Barque Maria	shipwreck		Cape Terawhiti
+^[18] ^[19]	Storm of 1897	floods and shipwreck		North Island	flooding at Clive, boating accidents, and the wreck of the Zuleika near Cape Palliser. 25 confirmed deaths and 6 unconfirmed
^[20] ^[21]	MV Joyita	ghost ship		En route from Apia, Samoa to Tokelau
^[22]	Assaye	shipwreck (presumed)		between London and Wellington; wreckage washed up at the Chatham Islands 7 months after the ship left London
	New Zealand National Airways Corporation Flight 441	air accident		Kaimai Ranges
^[23]	launch Ranui	shipwreck		off Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty
	2019 Whakaari/White Island eruption	volcanic eruption		Whakaari/White Island
^[24] ^[25]	brigantine Sophia Pate	shipwreck		Kaipara Harbour
^[26]	Kopuawhara flash flood of 1938	flood		Destroyed the Kopuawhara railway workers camp
	Hyde railway disaster	rail accident		near Hyde
+^[27]	Tsunami from 1868 Arica earthquake	tsunami		Chatham Islands
	schooner St. Vincent	shipwreck		Palliser Bay
^[28]	RNZAF Douglas C-47 disappearance	air accident		en route from Vanuatu
^[29]	Strongman Mine	mine explosion		near Greymouth
^[30]	volume=XXVI	issue=3953, 23 April 1870, Page 4	Canoe on Lake Rotorua	boating accident		near Mokoia Island on Lake Rotorua
^[31]	Clyde	shipwreck		Horseshoe Bay, near Akaroa, Banks Peninsula
^[32]	issue=11329, 25 August 1900, Page 8	Canoe on Motu River	boating accident		Motu River – 25 miles from Opotiki^[33]	There were 16 children and 2 adults in the six person canoe
^[34]	ketch Enterprise and steamer Tauranga	shipwreck		between Cape Rodney and Sail Rock, Hauraki Gulf	Those lost — fourteen crew and four passengers — all came from the Tauranga. The crew of the Enterprise survived in the ship's longboat.^[35]
^[36]	Lastingham	shipwreck		Cape Jackson, Cook Strait
	Ongarue railway disaster	rail accident		Ongarue
^[37]	1929 Murchison earthquake	earthquake		Murchison
^[38]	1943 Liberator crash at Whenuapai	air accident		Whenuapai	Those killed were mainly Japanese civilians who were being repatriated in a prisoner exchange.
^[39]	Capitaine Bougainville	shipwreck		Whananaki
	Lockheed Lodestar airliner crash	air accident		near Waikanae
^[40]	MV Holmglen	shipwreck		near Timaru
^[41]	Brynderwyns bus accident	road accident		Brynderwyn Hills
^[42]	Derry Castle	shipwreck		Enderby Island, Auckland Islands
^[43] ^[44]	Hutt River flood	floods		Hutt Valley
^[45]	Two Hudson bombers lost off the New Zealand coast	air accident		en route from Fiji	No. 4 Squadron RNZAF
^[46]	Aramoana massacre	spree killing		Aramoana, near Dunedin
	Cave Creek disaster	structural failure		Paparoa National Park
	Tasmania	shipwreck		Māhia Peninsula
^[47]	SS Ventnor	shipwreck		off Omapere, Hokianga
	NAC Electra air crash	air accident		on Mount Ruapehu
^[48]	L'Alcmène	shipwreck		Baylys Beach, Kaipara	A French navy corvette
^[49]	ferry Pride of the Yarra and paddle steamer Favourite	collision		Otago Harbour
^[50]	Cafe Chantant fire, The Octagon, Dunedin	fire		Dunedin
^[51]	Barque Lizzie Bell	shipwreck		Waimate, Taranaki
^[52]	barque Dundonald	shipwreck		Disappointment Island, Auckland Islands
^[53] ^[54]	Brigantine Rio Loge	shipwreck (presumed)		Last seen in Cook Strait on 14 January, en route from Kaipara to Dunedin	May have caused the wreck of the Penguin a month later.^[55]
^[56]	Cyclone of 1936	storm		North Island and upper South Island	A tropical cyclone that originated near the Solomon Islands
^[57]	Glen Afton No. 1 mine	Coal mine fire		Huntly	11 miners, including the mine manager, died from carbon monoxide asphyxia
^[58]	B17 bomber crash	air accident		RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai
^[59]	2012 Carterton hot air balloon crash	air accident		near Carterton
^[60]	Cyclone Gabrielle	cyclone	–	North Island and northern South Island
^[61]	Shamrock sailing boat	shipwreck		Queen Charlotte Sound	Capsized and sank. Exact location unknown.
^[62]	Brig Australia	shipwreck		off Cape Campbell
	White Island sulphur mine	lahar following volcano crater wall collapse		Whakaari/White Island	No bodies found.^[63] ^[64]
^[65]	Husky and Argo lost to storm in yacht race	shipwrecks		between Wellington and Christchurch
^[66]	Aspiring Air Britten-Norman Islander, collided with terrain	air crash		Upper Dart Valley

NOTE: The exact number of deaths in some early New Zealand shipwrecks is not fully recorded. There may be several shipwrecks not listed here which claimed ten or more lives.

Significant incidents resulting in fewer than 10 deaths

Deaths	Name or description	Type	Date	Location	Notes
9	1855 Wairarapa earthquake	earthquake		Lake Wairarapa
9	2010 Fox Glacier FU-24 crash	air accident		Fox Glacier
7	1941 Kowhitirangi shootings	spree killing	–	Kowhitirangi, near Hokitika	four police officers and three civilians killed
7	Cyclone Bola	cyclone	–	North Island
7	Mangatepopo Canyon disaster	flood		Tongariro National Park
7	2015 Fox Glacier helicopter crash	air accident		Fox Glacier
6	Raurimu massacre	spree killing		Raurimu
5	Loafers Lodge fire	fire		Newtown, Wellington
	Ansett New Zealand Flight 703	air accident		Tararua Range, near Palmerston North
4	2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods	flood	–	upper North Island
3	1968 Inangahua earthquake	earthquake		near Inangahua Junction
3	2023 Auckland shooting	shooting		Auckland CBD
2	1966 Air New Zealand DC-8 crash	air accident		near Auckland Airport
2	Air New Zealand Flight 4374	air accident		near Auckland Airport
2	Airwork Flight 23	air accident		near Stratford
2	2010 Canterbury earthquake	earthquake		near Darfield
2	2016 Kaikōura earthquake	earthquake		near Waiau
1	1987 Edgecumbe earthquake	earthquake		near Edgecumbe

Pandemics and health crises

Deaths	Description	Date	Location	Notes
	1918 flu pandemic	1918 October–December	nationwide	^[67]
3,623	COVID-19 pandemic	2020 February–ongoing	nationwide	Total deaths attributed to COVID-19 as at 17 December 2023.^[68] ^[69] (Statistics updated weekly.)
	HIV/AIDS pandemic	1983–ongoing	nationwide	As of December 2014.^[70]
69	2009 swine flu pandemic	2009 April–September	nationwide	^[71]

Significant incidents of New Zealanders being killed overseas

Confirmed Deaths	Name	Type	Date	Location	Notes
^[72]	Cospatrick	ship lost to fire		640 km south-west of the Cape of Good Hope, en route to Auckland	Only 3 people survived
^[73]	The Trevelyan (immigrant ship en route from Glasgow)	storm		Presumed foundered off the South African coast, en route to Port Chalmers, New Zealand
^[74]	Knowsley Hall	shipwreck (presumed)		between London and Lyttelton
^[75]	Matoaka	shipwreck (presumed)		between Lyttelton and London
^[76]	Pan Am Flight 816	air accident		Papeete, French Polynesia	from list of passengers from Auckland
^[77]	1943 RNZAF Catalina crash	air accident		south of Fiji
^[78] ^[79]	Pan Am Flight 806	air accident		Pago Pago, American Samoa	Only New Zealand deaths listed
^[80]	1945 RNZAF Catalina crash	air accident		off Beqa, Fiji
^[81]	Bere Ferrers rail accident, train hit NZ troops on tracks by platform	train accident		Bere Ferrers, Devon, UK

See also

• List of disasters in Antarctica by death toll
• List of disasters in Australia by death toll
• List of disasters in Canada by death toll
• List of disasters in Great Britain and Ireland by death toll
• List of earthquakes in New Zealand
• List of massacres in New Zealand
• List of natural disasters in New Zealand
• List of New Zealand-related topics
• List of rail accidents in New Zealand

External links

• New Zealand disasters timeline, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• Natural hazards and disasters, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
• Shipwrecks, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Notes and References

1. Bateman New Zealand Encyclopedia, edition 4 (1995). Article:
2. Denis . Welch . 4 February 2006 . Shake, Rattle & Roll . . 3430 . 29–30 . A larger death toll of 258 includes two missing, presumed dead.
3. Web site: List of deceased – Christchurch earthquake . New Zealand Police . 9 February 2012 . 24 February 2012.
4. http://www.geonet.org.nz/content/download/5878/26262/file/geonet-news-issue-2-feb-03.pdf Waihi Landslide
5. The eruption's death toll is uncertain. While 153 is a commonly quoted figure, only 108 named victims have been identified. Death list, Anheizen.com.
6. In 2007, the General Manager of the Earthquake Commission said that "... Ngati Hinemihi oral accounts put the death toll in the thousands." David Middleton (2007). A Roof Over Their Heads? The challenge of accommodation following disasters
7. Five more died before the survivors were rescued 18 months later.
8. Web site: Brunner Mine explosion. 15 September 2016.
9. Lamorna Cooper, Hipaua Steaming Cliffs and Little Waihi Landslide, Tephra, Vol. 19, June 2002, 42–47.
10. The original Wahine death toll was 51; two names were added 22 and 40 years later. Six more people were killed by Cyclone Giselle elsewhere in New Zealand.
11. http://library.christchurch.org.nz/kids/nzdisasters/ralphsmine.asp New Zealand Disasters – Mining: Ralph's Mine
12. http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/new-zealand-disasters/timeline New Zealand disasters timeline
13. Great storm of 1868, flash floods and 12 shipwrecks
14. http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/D/DisastersAndMishapsShipwrecks/en Disasters and Mishaps – Shipwrecks
15. Dunedin, which cites W.H. Brett's White Wings: Fifty years of sail in the New Zealand Trade, Vol. I. 1925.
16. Web site: NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES – SINKING OF MV KAITAWA – 1966. 15 September 2016.
17. Web site: Beswick. Angela. Pike River: Second explosion, no survivors. 3 News. 19 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120211123618/http://www.3news.co.nz/Pike-River-second-explosion-no-survivors/tabid/423/articleID/187811/Default.aspx. 11 February 2012. dead.
18. Web site: NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS – CLIVE FLOODS – 1897. 15 September 2016.
19. https://www.angelfire.com/az/nzgenweb/zuleika.html The Wreck of The "Zuleika", Palliser Bay
20. News: Field. Michael. 1955 Pacific mystery to be finally marked. 8 March 2012. stuff.co.nz. 6 March 2012.
21. All 25 on board were missing when the boat was found, and are presumed dead.
22. Web site: Assaye from England to Auckland 1874. 15 September 2016.
23. Web site: NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS – RANUI SINKING – 1950. 15 September 2016.
24. Book: Ryburn, Wayne. Tall Spars, Steamers & Gum. 1999. 0-473-06176-7. 230. Kaipara Publications. Auckland, N.Z..
25. Web site: Not many remember the 'Sophia Pate' 1841 Kaipara Harbour. freepages.rootsweb.com.
26. http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Kids/NZDisasters/Kopuawhara.asp New Zealand Disasters – Kopuawhara flood
27. Web site: Only deadly NZ tsunami on record hit the Chathams, 150 years ago. 13 August 2018. Stuff.co.nz. 2021-02-24.
28. Web site: ASN Accident Description (RNZAF [NZ3526]) ]. 24 September 1945 . Aviation Safety Network . 23 December 2020.
29. http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Kids/NZDisasters/strongman.asp New Zealand Disasters – Strongman Mine Explosion
30. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18700423.2.17&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----0canoe+disaster-- Rotorua. Terrible boat disaster — Eighteen natives drowned
31. http://divenewzealand.com/articles.asp?sid=649 Clyde
32. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=ESD19000825.2.67&srpos=23&e=-------10--21----0canoe+disaster-- Casualties
33. News: Sad boating disaster . . 9835 . 7 August 1900 . 5 . 20 January 2016.
34. Web site: New Zealand Historical Data – Ship "Tauranga" . 4 February 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080415102139/http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~dchamber/shipst.htm#tauranga . 15 April 2008 . dead .
35. Ingram, C. W. N., and Wheatley, P. O., (1936) Shipwrecks: New Zealand disasters 1795–1936. Dunedin, NZ: Dunedin Book Publishing Association. pp. 170–171.
36. http://diveplanet.co.nz/WreckSites/TheLastinghamwreck/tabid/228/Default.aspx The Lastingham Wreck
37. Eileen McSaveney, Historic earthquakes – The 1929 Arthur's Pass and Murchison earthquakes, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 21 September 2007. Accessed 2008-01-05.
38. Book: Livingstone, Bob. Under the Southern Cross: The B-24 Liberator in the South Pacific. Turner . 1998. 115. 1-56311-432-1.
39. http://www.wonderwalkers.co.nz/default,1202,whananaki-coastal-walk.sm Whananaki Coastal Walk
40. http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/D/DisastersAndMishapsShipwrecks/Holmglen/en Disasters and Mishaps – Shipwrecks – Holmglen
41. http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Kids/NZDisasters/Brynderwyns.asp New Zealand Disasters – Brynderwyns bus accident
42. Web site: The Derry Castle. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. 2009-04-18.
43. http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/weekly/2003/renall.html Weekly Feature – Early settler had leading role
44. Disastrous flood at the Hutt - 14 lives lost, Daily Southern Cross, 16 February 1858, Page 3
45. Encyclopedia: Pre-war and Wartime Accidents. A. H. . McLintock . Alexander Hare McLintock. An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand . 1966 . 7 January 2012.
46. [13 murder victims plus perpetrator]
47. http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/D/DisastersAndMishapsShipwrecks/Ventnor/en Disasters and Mishaps – Shipwrecks – Ventnor
48. Web site: Wreck of the Alcmène – Shipwrecks – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
49. http://www.quaystuff.co.nz/wreckinfo.php Wreck information
50. Web site: NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS – OCTAGON FIRE, DUNEDIN – 1879. 15 September 2016.
51. Web site: NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS – BARQUE LIZZIE BELL SINKING – 1901. 15 September 2016.
52. Three more died before being rescued.
53. News: The Rio Loge. 11 May 2012. Press. 13 February 1909. Press Association. Wellington. 11.
54. News: Supposed Hull of Rio Loge. 11 May 2012. Poverty Bay Herald. 22 February 1909. 5.
55. News: Search for wreck of Penguin. 11 May 2012. The Dominion Post. 11 February 2009. Stacey Wood. Greer McDonald.
56. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11219710 Eight destructive New Zealand storms
57. Encyclopedia: Coal and coal mining. Sherwood, Alan . Phillips, Jock . amp. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 2009-04-18.
58. Web site: Secret deaths. Lomas. David. The New Zealand Listener. 10 April 2010. 2012-01-07.
59. Web site: Hot air balloon crash near Carterton kills 11. Stuff.co.nz. 2012-01-07.
60. Web site: Cyclone Gabrielle updates: Death toll rises, half of uncontactable reports resolved . . 19 February 2023 .
61. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/96315270/add-them-to-the-list-underwater-survey-discovers-new-wrecks-in-marlborough-sounds Add them to the list: Underwater survey discovers new wrecks in Marlborough Sounds
62. News: Loss of the brig Australia, at Cape Campbell. 11 May 2012. Grey River Argus. 7 June 1873. 2.
63. Web site: Boast . Richard P. . Whakaari (White Island) and Motuhora (Whale Island). A report to the Waitangi Tribunal. . Ministry of Justice . New Zealand Government . 13 December 2019 . 50–51 . November 1993.
64. Web site: Grenfell . Hugh . The 1914 White Island/Whakaari mining disaster . Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira . 13 December 2019 . 16 June 2015.
65. Web site: Yacht Wrecked in Ocean Race. 29 January 1951. The Press. 6. 2009-04-18.
66. Web site: Accident description. Aviation Safety Network. 2009-04-17.
67. Web site: Epidemic | NZHistory, New Zealand history online . Nzhistory.net.nz . 2017-02-12.
68. Web site: COVID-19: Current cases - COVID-19 cases summary . www.health.govt.nz . Ministry of Health NZ . 19 December 2023 . Wellington, New Zealand . en . 19 December 2023 . COVID-19 cases summary.
69. Web site: COVID-19 Active Cases in New Zealand - Deceased . covid19map.co.nz . Global Risk Consulting Group (GRC) . 19 December 2023 . 19 December 2023 . Deceased.
70. Web site: UNAIDS Country Progress Report New Zealand: Reporting Period: January 2014 – December 2014. April 2015. 12 February 2017 . 13.
71. Web site: Gosset . Katy . Journalist . 2020-03-17 . Swine Flu 2009/2010 . 2023-06-13 . . en-nz.
72. John Wilson, The voyage out – Fire on the Cospatrick, from Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 21 September 2007. Accessed 2008-05-20.
73. The Mercury newspaper (Hobart, Australia), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9200111, Tuesday 30 October 1888
74. , Board of Trade, 1880. Accessed 21 May 2008.
75. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzbound/matoaka69.htm The Missing New Zealand Ship 'MATOAKA'
76. News: . Passenger List . The Press . Christchurch, New Zealand . 25 July 1973 . 22 November 2024.
77. Web site: ASN Accident Description (RNZAF [NZ4006]) ]. 5 June 1943 . Aviation Safety Network . 23 December 2020.
78. Web site: ASN Accident Description (Pan Am-806) . 30 January 1974 . Aviation Safety Network . 24 December 2020.
79. News: . Crash Investigation Underway . News Bulletin . Pago Pago, American Samoa . 1 February 1974 . 24 December 2020.
80. Web site: ASN Accident Description (RNZAF [NZ4022]) ]. 27 January 1945 . Aviation Safety Network . 23 December 2020.
81. Web site: Devon – BBC News. 15 September 2016.