Mysterious vanishing island reappears then disappears again
In 2023, a mysterious island surfaced in the Caspian Sea, only to vanish again by the end of 2024, lasting less than two years. Experts identified its presence through photographs supplied by NASA. Around the world, there are more such islands; one example, which has completely disappeared, is Japan's Esanbe Hanakita Kojima.
In January 2023, an island emerged above the underwater mud volcano Kumani, situated approximately 12 miles off the Azerbaijani coast. According to Science Alert, its existence was captured thanks to NASA's satellite images from the Landsat programme. This programme, utilising nine satellites, regularly sends images of Earth from space. The island was visible from its inception until its near-complete disappearance at the close of 2024.
An island that regularly vanishes
The history of this elusive island can be traced back to the 19th century when it was first recorded in May 1861. A year later, it vanished from sight. Throughout the 20th century, the island surfaced at least six times, never lasting more than two years. Its formation is connected to the eruptions of the Kumani mud volcano, often dramatic and reminiscent of oil rig explosions. However, in 2023, the island appeared quietly, without the usual dramatic fiery eruptions.
Geophysicist Mark Tingay, a mud volcano enthusiast, first observed this occurrence while analysing satellite images. In November 2024, he expressed his astonishment on the Threads platform at the fact that a new island had appeared the previous year, and he was even more surprised that it had gone unnoticed by others.
Despite the advent of modern technology and the swift dissemination of information, Science Alert notes that there were no formal reports about the island in 2023. A similar situation occurred in 1993, when it also received little publicity. It wasn't until 10 January 2025, when NASA featured the "ghost island" image as its image of the day, that the phenomenon gained renewed attention.
The island that emerged near the Kumani Bank mud volcano isn't unique. At the end of 2023, a new small island was also recorded off the coast of Japan. Japanese experts at the time noted that it forms part of the Ogasawara archipelago and resulted from an underwater volcanic eruption. However, it is important to mention that most islands formed from underwater volcanic activity quickly disappear, although exceptions exist.
