Papua New Guinea volcano: Video captures explosive eruption in South Pacific

Sonic boom rocks Australian holidaymaker's boat as he films the spectacle

A still from the video captured by Australian tourist Philip McNamara (Philip McNamara)

Incredible footage of a volcanic eruption shown sending a powerful shockwave rippling through the clouds above it has been captured by a holidaymaker.

Philip McNamara was on a boat off the coast of Papua New Guinea filming Mount Tavurvu in the distance when the volcano exploded, sending up a plume of ash and smoke.

The brave Australian tourist, a taxi driver from Townsville, Queensland, held steady to capture footage of one of nature’s most powerful and devastating spectacles.

The explosion happened on August 29, but the minute-long video was only shared on YouTube for the first time on Friday and has since been viewed more than 200,000 times.

Speaking to the Brisbane Times, the 58-year-old said filming the volcano was a “spur of the moment thing” after he saw it erupting from a nearby beach where he was staying with friends.

“I thought I might as well try and capture something you rarely get to see,” he said, adding the group “actually crapped themselves” when the sonic boom hit.

He added worldwide interest in the video had come as “a bit of a surprise”.