Drone Footage Shows New Volcanic Island in Pacific Ocean

The Niijima island, a natural phenomenon that abruptly emerged from the ocean less than a year ago, has now vanished, according to the Japanese Coast Guard, underscoring the erratic nature of volcanic activity.

“On Saturday, March 16th, Sea Guardian (observation drone) conducted the volcano observation. Niijima, which was formed by last year’s eruption, is almost invisible, and an eruption was confirmed near it. Please be careful of ships sailing nearby.” the Japanese Coast Guard said in a statement released on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

The disappearance of Niijima Island serves as a poignant reminder of the limited predictability of volcanic eruptions. This development follows a period of intense volcanic activity close to the small island, which emerged from the sea last year.

Niijima Island made headlines worldwide when it appeared off the southern shores of Japan’s Iwo Jima in late October 2023, thanks to satellite images captured by NASA/U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat-9, Newsweek reported last year.

Situated approximately a mile off the coast of Iwo Jima, about 750 miles south of Tokyo, the island was initially about 100 meters in diameter, primarily composed of rock blocks without a clear crater topography, as observed from a Mainichi Shimbun aircraft.

The formation of Niijima last year was a spectacular display of nature’s force, with the undersea volcano’s eruption sending hot magma and rock to the ocean’s surface.

“On October 30, 2023, from around 12:20-12:35, an underwater eruption off the coast of Iwo Jima was observed… Immediately north of the eruption site, a new island… was formed,” the University of Tokyo said in a statement last year.

The future of such islands can be uncertain, largely dependent on the composition of the rock and the volcano’s activity. Islands formed from hardened lava may endure, while those made of less stable materials are more likely to erode.

Despite its short-lived presence, Niijima was the subject of fascination for both scientists and the public, offering valuable insights into volcanic activity and the creation of new landmasses.

Japan is a nation with a multitude of islands. Though Japan’s four main islands are connected by major infrastructure like roads and bridges, the rest of the Japanese archipelago contains more than 14,000 islands. Among the 14,000 islands, 7,000 were discovered just last year.

Niijima island continued to grow and exhibit volcanic activity until late last year, as seen in footage shared by the Japanese Coast Guard and it has been in decline since its appearance.