Footballers continue game as Indonesian volcano spews ash behind them

  • 6 days ago
This is the spectacular moment footballers continued with their game - ignoring a volcano erupting behind them.The two amateur teams were playing a cup game when Mount Lewotobi began spewing a 2,500ft high tower of ash in Indonesia on Monday, June 10.Supporters shouted 'play on' and the referee refused to stop the match, despite the imminent danger a short walk from the soccer field in the Wulang Gitang district of East Nusa Tenggara province.Filmer Melki Ola said: 'The eruption happened suddenly during the football match. I also didn't expect to be able to capture that moment, I only intended to record a video of the football.'The match was not stopped because of the eruption. At that time the volcanic ash was carried by the wind to the west so it did not reach the football pitch.'The eruption of Mount Lewotobi has occurred several times before. Nobody was too worried. But if there had been lava coming, I would have ran away.'Hokeng Jaya went on to beat their local rivals Dewa FC 1-0 in the Regency League Cup competition.Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano located in the southeastern part of the island of Flores, Indonesia.Officials said this week that the area around the volcano is unsafe due to the ongoing eruption.