Canadian navy reports a "catastrophic volcanic eruption" on Red Sea island off Yemen

[cali]

The Associated PressPublished: September 30, 2007


TORONTO: A volcano has erupted on a tiny island off the coast of Yemen, spewing lava and ash hundreds of feet into the air, a Canadian naval vessel near the island in the Red Sea reported. There were no immediate reports of deaths, but at least eight people were missing.

The Yemeni government asked NATO to assist in searching for survivors on Jabal al-Tair island, which lacks a settled population but includes military installations.

The Yemeni news agency SABA confirmed the eruption and said a military garrison on the island is being evacuated. It was not clear how many people were stationed on the island, which is used for naval control and observation because large cargo ships pass nearby.

Ken Allan, a Navy spokesman, said a NATO fleet just outside the territorial waters of the island reported seeing a "catastrophic volcanic eruption" at 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) Sunday. The two-mile-long island is about 70 miles (115 kilometers) off the coast of Yemen.

"At this time, the entire island is aglow with lava and magma as it pours down into the sea. We do not have confirmation of how many people were on this island at the time of the eruption," Allan said in an e-mail.


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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/01/america/NA-GEN-Canada-Yemen-Volcano.php

[Quakerfriend]

1. Unbelievable video here.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/01/yemen.volcano/index.html

[MADem]

2. Good Grief!!!!! Devil at Four O'Clock!!!!!

Ken Allan, a Navy spokesman, said a NATO fleet just outside the territorial waters of the island reported seeing a "catastrophic volcanic eruption" at 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) Sunday. The two-mile-long island is about 70 miles (115 kilometers) off the coast of Yemen.

"At this time, the entire island is aglow with lava and magma as it pours down into the sea. We do not have confirmation of how many people were on this island at the time of the eruption," Allan said in an e-mail.

"The lava is spewing hundreds of feet into the air, with the volcanic ash also (rising) a thousand feet in the air," Allan said.


MORE.....
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071001.wcanyemen1001/BNStory/International/home


“As we were moving away from the island about five nautical miles north, the Dutch ship found a survivor in the water.”

Mr. Allen said that after the first survivor was rescued, all six NATO ships began “another vigorous search in the water in that area.”

“About an hour and a half ago (HMCS Toronto) pulled a survivor out of the water ... he is now in our ship receiving medical attention,” Mr. Allen said at about 4:30 a.m. EDT.

In all, four survivors were found by the NATO ships.

The tiny island, about three kilometres wide, is located about 140 kilometres off the Yemeni coast.

[Quakerfriend]

3. I heard that there were nine people known to be on the island.

military personnel.