CAIRO, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - At least eight Yemeni soldiers were killed and more are missing following a volcanic eruption on a small Yemeni Island in the Red Sea, China's Xinhua news agency said Monday.
The volcano erupted on Sunday on Jabal al-Tair, about 150 km (90 miles) from Yemen. Three small earthquakes are reported to have struck the island beforehand.
Naval ships are currently searching surrounding waters for the missing Yemeni soldiers.
A total of 50 soldiers were stationed on the island, which has served as a military base since 1996.
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh flew in to the island on Sunday to oversee the rescue operation.
A source in the country's Defence Ministry said the eruption had led to a collapse of the western part of the island.
The last eruption on the island took place in the late 19th century.
