Fell into Hawaii's Active Volcano While Trying to Get a Closer Look at the Crater

Walking at Night Without a Headlamp, Lost Footing
Saved by a Tree While Falling

A man who was approaching the edge of a cliff to observe the eruption of Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, fell about 9 meters. Fortunately, he was caught by a tree during the fall and sustained only minor injuries.

According to USA Today on the 15th (local time), the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) stated that an unnamed 30-year-old American male tourist fell about 9 meters from a cliff within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the 11th. At the time of the accident, the man was walking along the Byron Ledge Trail, a hiking course that circles the Kilauea volcano. He was moving at night without a headlamp and approached the cliff to get a closer look at the eruption, but lost his footing and fell.

On the 11th (local time), lava is erupting like a fountain from the Kilauea volcano within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo by AP

The man survived because he was caught by a tree during the fall. It was reported that he suffered only minor abrasions to his face. If he had not been caught by the tree, he could have fallen up to 100 feet (about 30 meters) further and his life might have been in danger. The National Park rescue team, which launched a search operation, descended to just below the column of lava erupting from the volcano and safely rescued the man around 9 p.m. on the day of the accident.

The accident occurred on the 11th, the same day that lava erupting from the northern vent of the Kilauea caldera surpassed a height of 330 feet (100 meters). Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has experienced intermittent eruptions in recent months. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO), this eruption lasted for 8 hours and was the 25th eruption this year. In addition, a 'gas piston phenomenon,' which is a contraction and expansion movement where the lava column rises and falls before and after the eruption, also occurred. Kilauea volcano experienced a major eruption in 2018, during which more than 700 homes were destroyed and residents were evacuated.

Approaching the lava is extremely dangerous due to limited visibility and rough terrain. The National Park Service warned, "Ignoring warnings and entering restricted areas, or separating from your companions to get a closer look at the lava, can easily lead to serious accidents."