The moment that a tour boat off the cost of Hawaii was hit by a torrent of molten rock, leaving 23 people injured, was captured on camera by one of the boat’s passengers.
Will Bryan posted video of the lava explosion to Facebook, describing it as footage of the Kilauea volcano “exploding into the boat we are on” during his Hawaiian vacation.
The video begins with footage of what appears to be a large ash cloud, then goes dark as screams are heard. It was at this point that molten rock was crashing through the roof of the boat.
Bryan said he and his travelling companions suffered “tons of cuts and burns” but were otherwise OK. One of the 23 people taken to hospital, a woman in her 20s, was listed in serious condition with a broken thigh bone.
An investigation into the incident involving state and local officials, as well as the United States Coast Guard, has been launched.
Boat and helicopter tours are the only ways people are able to see Kilauea for themselves, as land access is restricted due to safety issues. According to local authorities, the volcano is spewing up to 26 times as much lava per second as it did during a period of significant eruption in 2016-17.
With files from The Associated Press
