Sinking Island (Pratchett related)

[Odinoneeye]

In Terry Pratchett’s book Jingo, the story centers around two countries going to war over an island that mysteriously rises to the surface of a sea. By the end of the book, it has sunk back down.

My question is…

I can remember reading an article online about an island like this in the Mediterranian. It rises and falls under the surface due to seismic activity. The last time it rose (which IIRC, was in the 1800s) Sicily and Tunisia almost went to war over it.

Has anyone else heard of this or can provide me with more information. I can’t find the article anywhere and no online searches have gotten me any information.

Thanks.

[johncole]

I believe that you may be thinking of Graham’s Island.

Formed by the tip of a submerged volcano, the island last popped up in 1831, sparking a diplomatic spat among several nations, before it sank beneath the Mediterranean waves just six months later.

This time, Sicilian divers have gone down and planted a flag on the rock, in the hope of claiming it as Italian the moment it rises above the surface, Dr Boschi said.

Not quite the mechanism in Jingo, but just as much fun.

[Odinoneeye]

Yep, that’s exactly it.

In fact, that’s the exact article I read.

Thanks.