A local press reporter snapped a series of stunning pictures of the Icelandic volcano erupting while holidaying on the island.

While the world was rocked by this month’s eruption which closed down European airspace for six days, the Boston Standard had a reporter on the scene – well, almost.

David Seymour, pictured left, was in Iceland on holiday and photographed molten lava oozing from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano shortly before the major eruption which created the ash cloud.

His incredible photos – see below – have since been used in the Johnston Press-owned Standard and sister papers across the East Midlands to illustrate their coverage of locals stranded all over the globe.

Said David: “I couldn’ t believe my luck when a volcano began erupting in Iceland just two weeks before I was due to fly out there for an Easter break.

“This was a smaller, largely ash-free, eruption, and tours were running from the capital Reykjavík to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano for intrepid visitors.

“It meant a three-hour bus ride and a 90-minute journey up and across a glacier in a ‘super-jeep.’ But what greeted us at the end was more than worth the slog.

“It was a phenomenal sight – like a perpetual firework, the best Bonfire Night you’ve ever had. I was close enough to feel the heat on my face and hear a terrific roar every time fresh magma was thrown into the air.

The eruption witnessed by David was located between glaciers, but the second – much larger – eruption came through the volcano’s glacier-covered summit, leading to the enormous ash cloud.

He added: “I felt terribly lucky to see the volcano, but had it been a just a few days later I would not have felt so fortunate.”

Comments

hilary (29/04/2010 14:13:06)
If this lucky cameraman was later caught out by the flight ban, will JP make him take the extra days as unpaid holiday – as it has already announced is company policy…?