Mysterious Caspian island resurfaces then vanishes in just 2 years
In 2023, a mysterious island appeared on the surface of the Caspian Sea, only to disappear by the end of 2024, lasting less than two years. Experts discovered its existence thanks to photographs provided by NASA. There are other such islands around the world, one of which completely vanished is the Japanese island, Esanbe Hanakita Kojima.
In January 2023, a new island appeared atop the Kumani mud volcano, located about 12 miles from the coast of Azerbaijan. As reported by Science Alert, its existence was documented through NASA satellite images taken as part of the Landsat program. This program employs nine satellites to regularly provide images of Earth from space. The island remained visible from when it formed until it nearly disappeared by the end of 2024.
The island that regularly disappears
The history of this disappearing island dates back to the 19th century when it was first documented in May 1861. It vanished from the surface just a year later. In the 20th century, the island appeared at least six times but never lasted more than two years. Its formation is linked to eruptions of the Kumani mud volcano, which are often spectacular and resemble oil platform explosions. However, in 2023, the island emerged quietly, without the usual dramatic bursts of fire.
Geophysicist Mark Tingay, an enthusiast of mud volcanoes, was the first to notice this phenomenon while analyzing satellite images. In November 2024, he expressed amazement on the Threads platform, noting that the new island had appeared the previous year and it surprised him even more that no one noticed it initially.
Science Alert emphasizes that despite the availability of modern technology and the fast flow of information, there were no official reports on the island in 2023. A similar situation occurred in 1993, when the island also escaped significant public attention. It wasn't until January 10, 2025, when NASA highlighted the image of the "ghost island" as the image of the day, that the phenomenon garnered attention again.
The island, which appeared near the Kumani Bank mud volcano, is not the only such case. At the end of 2023, a new small island was also observed off the coast of Japan. Japanese specialists indicated that it is part of the Ogasawara archipelago, and its formation was the result of an underwater volcano eruption. However, it is worth noting that most islands that form due to underwater volcanic activity disappear quickly, though some exceptions exist.
