The U.S. Coast Guard said it detected and tracked a Russia military spy ship just miles off the coast of Hawaii, the latest incident of a Russian vessel or plane operating close to the U.S.

The Russian intelligence vessel, Kareliya, was spotted about 15 nautical miles south of Oahu on Oct. 29, the Coast Guard said Thursday.

An HC-130 Hercules helicopter and a Coast Guard cutter were dispatched to monitor the ship by “conducting a safe and professional overflight and transiting near the vessel,” officials said.

The Coast Guard, which released a photo of the ship, said it is still tracking the vessel’s movement near U.S. waters “to provide maritime security for U.S. vessels operating in the area and to support U.S. homeland defense efforts.”

“The U.S. Coast Guard routinely monitors maritime activity around the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific to ensure the safety and security of U.S. waters,” Capt. Matthew Chong said in a statement.  

International law allows foreign military ships to transit outside other nations’ territorial seas, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from shore.

The Coast Guard said the Kareliya is a Vishnya-class intelligence vessel, which were built for the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. There are seven such ships still in service with the Russian Navy, according to the U.S. Army. 

The Kareliya was also spotted off Hawaii in 2021, USNI News reported at the time. In 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard also tracked a Russian ship near the Hawaiian Islands that was believed to be gathering intelligence.

Earlier this year, British officials said the Royal Navy was monitoring a Russian spy ship operating in U.K. waters. British Defense Secretary John Healey told Parliament the vessel was being “used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.’s critical underwater infrastructure.”

“I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: We see you, we know what you’re doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,” he told lawmakers.

Russian spy planes are also routinely spotted off the U.S., particularly inside the Alaskan identification zone. The zone begins where U.S. territory ends off the coast of Alaska, and aircraft from other countries are required to identify themselves to the U.S. and Canada when they enter. Russian military activity in the zone is common and not considered a threat, according to NORAD.

However, in September 2024, NORAD posted dramatic video of a Russian jet flying “within just a few feet” of NORAD aircraft off the coast of Alaska. At the time, a U.S. general said “the conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all.”

A funnel cloud of spinning ash was caught on camera over the weekend, whirling around an eruption from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.

Kilauea, located in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, experienced a five-hour eruptive episode on Sunday, Nov. 9, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with lava fountains spewing up to 1,000-1,100 feet into the air.

Video captured by a bystander shows a cloud of ash twisting into a tornado-like funnel, nicknamed a “volnado,” emerging from Kilauea’s 36th episode of an eruption that began in December 2024.

Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, NPS says

Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the most active on Hawaiʻi Island, according to the National Park Service. It first formed roughly 280,000 years ago and grew above sea level about 100,000 years ago, erupting dozens of times since 1952.

“Volnados” are wind vortexes or whirlwinds created by the “chaotic and turbulent mixing of hot and cold air” during eruption, according to USGS.

Hot rising air lifts ash and dust into the atmosphere to spin at high speed, often picking up potentially hazardous materials along the way, including hot lava, pieces of crust and Pele’s hair, or strands of volcanic glass.

As tourists question whether to cancel their trips to Hawaii, the Hawaii Department of Transportation has yet to receive a response from the Federal Aviation Administration regarding its request to be exempt from the mandate to drop up to 10% of flights at major airports.

The FAA ordered U.S. airlines to begin cutting flights on Nov. 7 to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who are not being paid during the government shutdown. Daniel Inouye International Airport in Honolulu was included on the list of airports required to cut flights. On Nov. 6, the Hawaii Department of Transportation penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asking for an exemption, citing concerns that it’s the “nation’s most isolated population center” and that the island has a unique relationship with air travel — including supporting tourism.

“Tourism and related industries account for over 20 percent of Hawaii’s economy and employ 1 in 4 residents. A 10 percent cut in flights would devastate small businesses, cancel bookings, and trigger layoffs across the state at a time when families are already struggling with high living costs,” Hawaii’s Director of Transportation Edwin Sniffen said in the letter. 

However, the agency told SFGATE it has not received a response. 

Hawaii has struggled to attract the same number of tourists it did before the pandemic, including during this year’s summer season. So far, airlines serving the island have made do by canceling only interisland travel, but antsy tourists have still been rescheduling their trips.

“Some visitors decided to cancel entirely, while others we were able to reassure and keep on track. Honestly, this kind of disruption is the last thing Hawaii tourism needs right now. October was one of the slowest months I’ve ever seen, and November isn’t looking much better,” Bruce Fisher, Hawaii travel adviser and owner of Hawaii Aloha Travel, told SFGATE in an email. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s driving it, but the steady stream of negative travel headlines from FAA cuts to general uncertainty seems to make people more hesitant to book. We’re hopeful things will turn around soon, but it’s definitely been a challenging stretch.”

On Tuesday, airlines at Daniel Inouye International Airport canceled 18 flights, according to FlightAware, predominantly interisland flights, in an effort to keep flights to and from the continental U.S. intact.

“So far, the airlines serving Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) have met FAA requirements by canceling inter-island flights. We are hopeful that everything will continue to go smoothly as the requirement increases to 10 percent this Friday,” Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority, told SFGATE in an email. 

Although the shutdown appears to be nearing an end, experts and airlines have cautioned that travelers should prepare for potential further flight disruptions throughout the week.

“The pace of recovery is likely to vary across airports and carriers, often unfolding on a case-by-case basis over several days following the formal resolution,” Ahmed Abdelghany, associate dean for research at the David B. O’Maley College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told USA Today.