How an island suddenly rose from the Mediterranean in 1831 then vanished

For a few months in 1831, the sea off Sicily seemed to be making room for something new. Fishermen had already noticed dead fish floating to the surface, their bodies carrying the smell of sulphur. Then came smoke, ash and lava. By late summer, a small volcanic island stood above the water. It was not especially large, but its position mattered. Ships travelling through the Mediterranean passed nearby, and several European powers quickly began considering what possession of the new land might mean. Before the arguments could be settled, though, the island began to crumble. Within months, it had slipped beneath the waves again.An underwater eruption created a new island in the MediterraneanThe first warnings were not particularly dramatic. In July 1831, fishermen working south-west of Sicily began finding dead fish in the water. The animals appeared strangely cooked, and the smell of sulphur was strong enough to make some people ill.According to the BBC, on the night of 10 July, sailors saw the source of the disturbance. A volcanic vent had broken through the surface, sending out smoke and fragments of ash. Lava followed. What began as an underwater eruption gradually built itself u...