The split-second Stromboli erupted: Yachtsman captures moment Mediterranean volcano exploded sending lava spewing

  • Volcano erupted on Italian holiday island of Stromboli on Wednesday afternoon 
  • The blast killed a 35-year-old hiker from Sicily and sent tourists fleeing in terror  
  • Now footage has emerged showing the moment the terrifying blast took place
  • In the video, taken by a passing yacht, a woman can be heard saying 'oh my God' 

The terrifying moment a volcano erupts on an Italian holiday island has been revealed, as footage emerges showing the how the blast took place.

Frightened tourists fled as the volcano on Stromboli erupted on Wednesday afternoon killing a 35-year-old hiker from Sicily. 

The eruptions were described as some of the biggest ever recorded on the island sending lava spewing from 'all the active mouths of the crater.'

Now the moment the eruption took place has been revealed, after video taken by a passing yacht emerged showing thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky. 

The moment the eruption took place has been revealed, after video taken by a passing yacht emerged showing thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky

The moment the eruption took place has been revealed, after video taken by a passing yacht emerged showing thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky

The woman filming the footage can be heard screaming 'oh my God' and 'stay far away' as the sky fills with ash - billowing more than a mile into the sky

The woman filming the footage can be heard screaming 'oh my God' and 'stay far away' as the sky fills with ash - billowing more than a mile into the sky

In the footage, frightened onlookers can be heard saying 'oh my God' and 'stay far away' as the sky fills with ash - billowing more than a mile into the sky.

Amid the terror of the blasts, around 30 tourists threw themselves into the sea for safety following the eruption, according to Italy's ANSA news agency.   

Lava spewed from the volcano's vents and burning chunks of rock were sent flying - one of which struck and killed 35-year-old Sicilian Massimo Imbesi.

His Brazilian walking companion, who has not been named, was left in shock, emergency services said. Around 1,000 tourists fled the island.  

Holidaymaker Alana Elliot, 31, from Bethnal Green, east London, was relaxing on the beach on a neighbouring island when she heard the blast.

'We heard a really loud boom as though thunder and lightning had struck right next to us and saw people running along the beach,' she said.

'You can see Stromboli from the bay and there was a big mushroom cloud erupting - it looked like a nuke.' 

Tourists reportedly fled from their hotels and a large cloud of ash swept over the island of Stromboli on Wednesday

Tourists reportedly fled from their hotels and a large cloud of ash swept over the island of Stromboli on Wednesday 

Ash rises into the sky after a volcano eruption on the small Mediterranean island of Stromboli, Italy on Wednesday

Ash rises into the sky after a volcano eruption on the small Mediterranean island of Stromboli, Italy on Wednesday

The Stromboli volcano on the island of the same name, off the coast of Sicily, erupted on Wednesday afternoon
One person died and another was injured after the eruption on Wednesday

The Stromboli volcano on the island of the same name, off the coast of Sicily, erupted on Wednesday afternoon

Peter Bridges, 56, from Pennsylvania, was moments away from climbing the Stromboli volcano with his two sons when it erupted.

He told MailOnline: 'When the boom first went off and the debris started flying we thought there could be more of this, we were all thinking this could get much worse, so the thought [of death] does cross your mind.

'People were screaming and running - out of houses, out of restaurants. We stopped to take a few photos, but then a man told us we had to go because rocks could hit us from where we were.

'There were people crying in the streets. About half of them were running towards the volcano because they were worried about a tsunami, and the other half were running towards the sea to get away from the volcano.'

A large cleanup operation was underway in the village of Ginostra on Stromobli, where workers began sweeping away layers of ash and cinders. 

Canadair waterbombing planes battled to put out fires started by the two massive explosions on Wednesday. 

Peter Bridges (front left), 56, from Pennsylvania, was moments away from climbing the Stromboli volcano with his two sons when it erupted.

Peter Bridges (front left), 56, from Pennsylvania, was moments away from climbing the Stromboli volcano with his two sons when it erupted. 

The explosion sent a huge plume into the air, raining rocks down on anyone nearby (pictured, Mr Bridges' view of the explosion as he was getting ready to climb)

The explosion sent a huge plume into the air, raining rocks down on anyone nearby (pictured, Mr Bridges' view of the explosion as he was getting ready to climb)

One hiker, 35-year-old Sicilian Massimo Imbesi, was killed by flying rock having already started his ascent up the volcano

One hiker, 35-year-old Sicilian Massimo Imbesi, was killed by flying rock having already started his ascent up the volcano 

The UK Foreign Office changed its travel advice for Italy, saying: 'Local authorities have responded and are monitoring the situation.

'There are no reports of significant impact on populated areas, but local authorities are assisting those on the island who wish to leave.

'If you're in the area, you should follow the advice of local authorities.'

Five-square-mile Stromboli has a population of around 500 and its economy is based almost entirely on tourism – much related to the volcano.

Known as The Lighthouse Of The Mediterranean, it stands 3,000ft above sea level, and is often busy with tour groups who can peer into its crater.

The eruptions were categorised as a 'paroxysmal eruption' by expert Stefano Branca, who explained it was when high-pressure magma explodes from a shallow, underground reservoir.

'These are events of great intensity and quite rare,' he said.

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