An undersea volcanic eruption has created a raft of porous
volcanic rock in the Pacific Ocean that's larger than the
surface area of Israel, but navy officers say the phenomenon is
not a danger to shipping. Pumice is a porous grey-coloured form
of volcanic rock formed when lava and water are mixed. Most
pumice is light enough to float on water. The area of floating
pumice is 250 nautical miles (463km) in length and 30 nautical
miles wide (55km), and covers 25,465 square kilometres. Israel's
surface area is about 20,700 sq km. Spotted by a Royal New
Zealand Air Force Orion, the raft was located about 85 nautical
miles west to southwest of Raoul Island and investigated by the
HMNZS Canterbury, the New Zealand Defence Force says. Raoul
Island is part of the Kermadec Islands and is 1100km northeast
of New Zealand. Lieutenant Tim Oscar, a Royal Australian Navy
officer on the vessel, said on Friday it was "the weirdest thing
I've seen in 18 years at sea". "The lookout reported a shadow on
the ocean ahead of us so I