The 2002 crisis

In the early morning hours of November 3, 2002, off the island’s eastern coast, local fishermen detected a strong smell of sulfur and observed the sea bubbling, with dead fish floating on the surface and a change in the water’s color. The phenomenon was occurring at three points off the island. One area was west of Lisca Bianca toward Dattilo, where the gas reached the surface forming bubbles several meters in diameter. In a second area, west of Bottaro, the gas emission was even more intense and originated from a depth of about 20 meters.

The third area covered a smaller surface, between Bottaro and Lisca Nera. Around the fumaroles, the water temperature was around 22–23°C, not different from that measured at the island’s pier, while the acidity was higher compared to that commonly observed in seawater. The gas emission was so intense that the smell of hydrogen sulfide was detectable from great distances. However, within a few days, the activity decreased significantly, continuing at a lower intensity until January 2003.