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Lava bomb hits Hawaii tour boat
A ‘lava bomb’ has hit a tour boat in Hawaii, injuring 23 people, according to US officials.
A huge explosion, caused by molten rock mixing with seawater as it poured from the shoreline, sent the ‘lava bomb’ crashing through the roof of the boat, which had been taking visitors out to view lava plunging into the sea.
One passenger broke a leg while others suffered burns.
The lava is from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, which has been erupting for the past 35 years and in May began spewing lava through newly-formed fissures in a residential neighbourhood, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.
Authorities said the boat was operated by Lava Ocean Tours, which charges about $250 (£188) a head to watch lava flow into the sea.
An investigation has begun into the incident.
Rules prohibit ships from getting any closer than 300m to a lava flow entering the sea, although it has been reported that some boat operators had received special permission to get closer.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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