The eruption of a volcano on the al-Tair island off the coast of Yemen has sparked a search for at least 9 soldiers, who were deployed there, the BBC reported on Monday.

The eruption, which caused part of the island to collapse, is thought to have occurred after several earthquakes shook the three-kilometre-long island on Sunday.

Canadian navy frigate HMCS Toronto, which was sailing towards the Suez, received a request for help and joined in the search and rescue operations for soldiers, who are thought to be at sea.

The eruption has sent lava hundreds of yards into the air, with volcanic ash also rising 300 yards, the BBC quoted Canadian navy spokesman Ken Allen as saying.

The island is 140 kilometres off the Yemen coast and has been used as a military base since 1996, the BBC said.

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