Hawai‘i Wing Provides Eyes in the Sky - Updates | NEWS

Hawai‘i Wing Provides Eyes in the Sky - Update

Hilo, Hawai’i – Hawai‘i Wing Civil Air Patrol (CAP) volunteers responded at 2:45 am this morning to a request from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency to fly a US Geological Survey volcanologist, a mission pilot, and aerial photographer to observe conditions associated with with the eruption of Mauna Loa.

At 6:41 am Hawai‘i Wing Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Mission Pilot 1st Lt John Bassett, US Geological Survey volcanologist Ms. Natalia Deligne, and Hawaii Wing (CAP) aerial photographer 1st Lt Susan Bassett flew out of Hilo International on CAP Aircraft N579CP headed towards Mauna Loa summit and the North East Rift zone where they took photos of the current eruption.

According to the USGS, "Lava flows are not threatening any downslope communities and all indications are that the eruption will remain in the Northeast Rift Zone. Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele's Hair may be carried downwind... Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa rift zone eruption can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly." More information may be found at: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/volcano-updates

Hawai‘i Wing Civil Air Patrol will remain on standby to assist with overflights and instrumentation while continuing to work closely with the USGS, Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory (HVO), and HIEMA.

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