At Least 23 Injured In Hawaii After Lava From Kilauea Volcano Hits Tour Boat
A “basketball-sized” scrap of lava broke through the roof of a boat off the coast of Big Island.
A lava explosion off the coast of Big Island in Hawaii injured 23 people on Monday, according to the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
The U.S. Coast Guard responded to a call around 6 a.m. that crew members and passengers were injured after a “basketball-sized” scrap of lava tore through a tour boat’s roof, county officials told Hawaii News Now. Four of the injured were transported by ambulance to Hilo Medical Center, the local outlet reported.
A spokesman from the DLNR told HuffPost that 13 people received hospital treatment, though the Hawaii Fire Department reported a total of 23 injured. The other 10 people were treated for superficial injuries upon the boat’s return to Wailoa Harbor, according to CNN.
“A 20-year old woman received major trauma to her leg and the others suffered burns and scrapes,” DLNR said in its Facebook post.
The Hawaii Fire Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Kilauea volcano, where the lava explosion originated, is located on Hawaii’s Big Island. It has destroyed hundreds of homes since it began erupting in May. Officials are investigating the incident and have initial reports that the tour boat was operating outside the U.S. Coast Guard’s established safety zone.
Though the agency has prohibited boats from getting closer than 984 feet from the lava’s ocean entry points, the Coast Guard does allow experienced boat operators to apply for a special license to get up to 164 feet from the lava, The Associated Press reports.
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