Damage from a lava bomb
Damage to the roof of a tour boat is seen after an explosion sent lava flying through the roof off the Big Island of Hawaii on Monday injuring at least 23 people. The lava came from the Kilauea volcano, which has been erupting near a rural residential area since early May. A STORY IS
HONOLULU — Hawaii tour boat operators plan to continue taking visitors to see lava, but will follow the Coast Guard’s revised policy and stay farther away after an explosion caused molten rock to barrel through the roof of a vessel, injuring 23 people.
The Coast Guard prohibits vessels from getting closer than 984 feet from where Kilauea volcano’s lava oozes into the sea. The agency had been allowing experienced boat operators to apply for a special license to get closer up to 164 feet, but it stopped allowing those exceptions Monday morning.
A woman in her 20s was transported to Honolulu in serious condition with a broken thigh bone. The other 22 people injured were treated for minor burns and scrapes, including 12 who were treated at a hospital in Hilo.
Moku Nui Lava Tours Captain Kanoa Jones, whose boat was not involved in Monday’s incident at Kilauea volcano, said not running the tours would only withhold income from local restaurants and other businesses dependent on tourism.
“If we stop operating, it not only hurts us, it hurts the community,” Jones said.
The Coast Guard, state and local officials were investigating what happened.
Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West said the agency can’t say whether it will change its safety zone rules until it finishes its investigation.