Hawaii boat tours are continuing to take visitors to see lava, despite an explosion which sent molten rock through the roof of a vessel yesterday and injured 23 people.
The agency had been allowing experienced boat operators to get 50 meters closer to the lava, despite the Coast Guard prohibiting vessels from getting closer than 300 meters from where the volcano’s lava reaches the sea.
Moku Nui Lava Tours Captain Kanoa Jones, says the tours are the residents main source of income, without it, the community would have to rely on local restaurants and other businesses dependent on tourism.