Boaters in the Mediterranean have captured the exact moment a volcano erupted on the Italian holiday island of Stromboli. The eruption occurred last Wednesday and tragically, flying debris from the blast killed a 35-year-old hiker from Sicily.

Around 1,000 tourists fled as the island was evacuated. Stromboli, which is approx. 13 sq. km, has a population of around 500 people and its economy is based almost entirely on tourism – much related to the volcano. Known as “The Lighthouse Of The Mediterranean”, it stands 3,000 ft above sea level, and is often busy with tour groups who can peer into its crater.

The boaters must have been far enough away, that the sound of the blast that would accompany such an eruption, had not reached them yet.