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A piece of molten rock, called a lava bomb, crashed into a tourist boat off the coast of Hawaii this week, injuring 23 people who were there to observe the lava flow off the Big Island. The Coast Guard opened an investigation to find out if the boat was in a restricted area when the lava hit
The ship was making a tour near a lava flow around 6am in Kapoho Bay, on the east coast of the island. According to a statement from the Land and Natural Resources Department of Hawaii, the boat dumped rain on the ship 's metal roof, leaving behind 13 people being transported to the hospital and 10 minor injuries. treated on the spot. A pbadenger, a 20-year-old woman, is seriously injured in one leg, according to the statement.
The source of lava was Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, which has attracted tourists in recent months. After the episode, all ships were prevented from traveling within 300 meters, about 300 meters, of lava flowing into the Pacific Ocean, Coast Guard said in a statement. statement released Monday. Previously, tourist boats with experienced professional captains could get permission to operate at 50 meters or more of lava, but they will no longer be able to do so, said Matthew West, a spokesman for the Coast Guard. Shane Turpin said he was well outside the area at the time of the explosion, Reuters reported Tuesday. Mr. Turpin did not respond to a request for comment
A video of an explosion that was captured by another lava ship at the time the boat was hit shows a huge plume of smoke black and red lava on the surface of the water.
Kilauea volcano erupted from its summit earlier this year after days of small earthquakes. The lava flow destroyed dozens of homes and other buildings, and the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency urged tourists to avoid the area in May.
The volcano was active Monday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The company that operated the boat, Lava Ocean Tours, is based in Hilo, Hawaii, and presents itself as an "exciting way to experience hot melt lava entering the sea." According to the company's website, each explosion of the lava mine can accommodate up to 49 pbadengers, and each visit costs between $ 225 and $ 250.
The explosion can be explained by the contact of the molten rock with the water of the oceans. According to Einat Lev, an expert in volcanology and an badistant professor at Columbia University, the water boils quickly, sending plumes of steam. When the gas expands, it triggers the explosion
This interaction causes a "plume of corrosive sea water" loaded with hydrochloric acid and volcanic particles, which can irritate the eyes, the skin and lungs, according to the Geological Survey. Dr. Lev said the Kilauea volcano has had an "ocean inlet", or a place where lava comes in contact with water, since the 1980s, attracting tourists who are willing to accept certain risks to see the show.
trying to look at this entrance to the ocean for many years, "she said. "It flows a little faster, so they could have been a little too close."
The Department of Lands and Natural Resources of Hawaii also studies the episode.
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