{{Short description|Island in Tunisia}} {{Infobox islands | name = Plane Island | local_name = Île Plane<br>الجزيرة المنبسطة | image_name = File:Vue aérienne de l'île plane.jpg | image_size = 250px | image_caption = Plane Island, seen from the north in 2010 | image_alt = | pushpin_map = Tunisia | pushpin_map_width=250 | coordinates = {{coord|37|10|53.8|N|10|19|42.3|E|display=title,inline}} | map_caption = | location = | archipelago = | waterbody = | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_km2 = | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_km = <!-- or length m --> | length_footnotes = | width_km = <!-- or width m --> | width_footnotes = | coastline_km = <!-- or coastline m --> | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = <!--name--> | Country_heading = | country = Tunisia | country_admin_divisions_title = | country_admin_divisions = | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital = | country_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | demonym = | population = | population_as_of = | density_km2 = | density_footnotes = | ethnic_groups = | website = | additional_info = }} '''Plane Island''' ({{langx|fr|Île Plane}}; Latin: Phalans Insula) also known as '''Piana'''{{sfnp|Taylor|1874|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=qPkGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA18 18]}} or {{nowrap|'''Plana Island'''}}{{sfnp|Francalanci & al.|1994|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=iR4ht7LHFhsC&pg=PA74 74]}} and{{mdash}}in Tunisian Arabic{{mdash}}as {{nowrap|'''Jaziret el-Monbasta'''}}<ref>{{citation |contribution=7510: De Cap Blanc à Jaziret el Monbasta |title=Tunisia Nautical Charts |date=2007 |publisher=Centre Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine Nationale |location=Tunis }}. {{in lang|fr}}</ref> (Standard {{langx|ar|الجزيرة المنبسطة}}, ''al-Jazira al-Munbasita''), is a flat, rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea roughly {{convert|3.75|km|sp=us|1}} off Cape Farina, Tunisia.<ref name=rowrowrow>{{cite rowlett|tun}}</ref> It has a lighthouse.
==History== Plane Island is possibly the "Terapse"<ref>{{citation |contribution-url=http://imperium.ahlfeldt.se/places/28166.html |contribution=E Cap Sidi el Mekkik |url=http://imperium.ahlfeldt.se |title=Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire |date=2013 }}.</ref> or "Phalans Island" ({{langx|la|Phalans Insula}}) of ancient geographers.<ref>{{citation |last=De Graauw |first=Arthur |contribution-url=https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/the-catalogue/north-africa/ |contribution=North Africa |url=https://www.ancientportsantiques.com |title=The Catalogue of Ancient Ports & Harbours |date=2018 |location=Grenoble }}.</ref>
During the Napoleonic Wars, an error in navigation caused Captain Charles Tyler to wreck the captured frigate ''L'Aigle'' on Plane Island in July 1798{{sfnp|Nicholas|1997|p=103}} while operating against the French and pirates in the area. All of the crew were saved, and Captain Tyler was not held liable for the loss.{{sfnp|Hepper|1994|p=87}}
After the establishment of French control over Tunisia, Ernest Cosson studied the plant life on Plane Island in May, 1888.{{sfnp|SSNT|1967|p=109}}
The Belgian ship ''Scheldepas'' ran aground off Plane Island on March 14, 1929. The crew was rescued by the British ship ''Tabarka''.<ref>{{citation |title=The Times |date=16 March 1929 |volume=45143 |page=22 |contribution=Casualty Reports |location=London}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=SS Scheldepas (+1929) |url=https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?179130 |website=wrecksite.eu |accessdate=13 February 2020}}</ref> The Greek ship ''Michael L. Embricios'' ran aground on Plane Island on November 22, 1931. 30 crew were rescued by the German ship ''Alaya''.<ref>{{citation |title=The Times |date=23 November 1931 |volume=45987 |page=21 |contribution=Casualty Reports |location=London}}.</ref><ref>{{citation |title=The Times |date=24 November 1931 |volume=45988 |page=20 |contribution=Greek Steamer Beached |location=London}}.</ref><ref>{{citation |title=The Times |date=30 November 1931 |volume=45993 |page=23 |contribution=The ''Michael L. Embiricos'' Refloated |location=London}}.</ref>
The sea lanes around Plane Island were mined by the Allies during the Second World War.{{sfnp|Playfair & al.|1966|p=249}} As part of Operation Retribution, the Allied blockade of Axis attempts to flee from occupied Tunisia to Sicily, HMS ''Lookout'' captured 13 Germans and Italians off Plane Island on 13 May 1943. A little later, HMS ''Laforey''{{mdash}}en route from repairs in Malta{{mdash}}stopped by Plane Island, discovering 23 Axis soldiers and taking them prisoner.
==Lighthouse== The island's lighthouse has the designation numbers ARLHS TUN-024, Admiralty E6414, and NGA 22056.<ref name=rowrowrow/>
It was erected by the French colonial authorities in 1888. It is a square tower with white and red bands, rising from its keeper's house. The tower stands {{convert|39|ft|sp=us|order=flip}} high. Its red lantern remains in use. It flashes twice every 10 seconds with a focal-plane height of {{convert|65|ft|sp=us|order=flip}}; it is visible for {{convert|11|-|15|nmi|km|sp=us|order=flip}}.<ref>{{citation |first=Tim |last=Harrison |author2=Kathleen Finnegan |display-authors=1 |ref={{harvid|Harrison & al.|2018}} |contribution-url=http://www.lighthousedigest.com/Digest/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=4105 |contribution=Ile Plane Light |title=Lighthouse Explorer |url=http://www.lighthousedigest.com/Digest/database/searchdatabase.cfm |date=2018 |location=East Machias |publisher=FogHorn Publishing }}.</ref>
==Transportation== The island remains accessible only by boat. It is closed to the public.<ref name=rowrowrow/>
==Gallery== <gallery> Tunis Gulf topo map-fr.svg | A French topological map of the Gulf of Tunis, showing Plane Island as ''Île Plane'' IlePlaneFromZaouiaSidiAliElMekki.JPG | The view of Plane Island from Cape Farina's mountains to the west Cap farine bizerte (2).jpg | The view of Plane Island from Cape Farina's beach File:CapFarinaAndIlePlane2008.JPG | An aerial view from the east ZoomIlePlaneGharElMelh.jpg | The lighthouse </gallery>
==References== {{Commons category}}
===Citations=== {{Reflist|30em}}
===Bibliography=== * {{citation |title=Bulletin |publisher=Société des Sciences Naturelles de Tunisie |volume=6–8 |date=1967 |ref={{harvid|SSNT|1967}} }}. {{in lang|fr}} * {{citation |editor-first=Giampiero |editor-last=Francalanci |editor2=Tullio Scovazzi |editor3=Daniela Romanò |display-editors=1 |ref={{harvid|Francalanci & al.|1994}} |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iR4ht7LHFhsC |title=Lines in the Sea |location=Dordrecht |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers |date=1994 |isbn=0792328469 }}. * {{citation |last=Hepper |first=David |year=1994 |title=British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859 |publisher=Jean Boudriot |location=Rotherfield |isbn=0-948864-30-3 }}. * {{citation |last=Nelson |first=Horatio |title=The Dispatches and Letters of Lord Nelson |volume=III |publisher=Chatham |date=1997 |editor-last=Nicolas |editor-first=Nicholas Harris |ref={{harvid|Nicholas|1997}} }}. * {{citation |last=Playfair |first=Ian Stanley Ord |author2=C.J. Molony |display-authors=1 |date=1966 |ref={{harvid|Playfair & al.|1966}} |title=The History of the Second World War: The Mediterranean and the Middle East |volume=IV |location=London |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office }}. * {{citation |last=Taylor |first=Alfred Dundas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qPkGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR4-IA1 |title=The India Directory..., ''Pt. I:'' The East Indies, and Interjacent Ports of Africa and South America... |location=London |date=1874 |publisher=Wm. H. Allen & Co. }}
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Category:Islands of Tunisia Category:Lighthouses in Tunisia Category:Lighthouses completed in 1888