A 75-year-old Hawaiian man met with an unfortunate accident at the popular Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, January 2 night. Authorities noted that the man fell 100 feet into the crater of the most active Kilauea volcano on the Big Island. The identity of the man is not clear at the moment.
The Hilo resident was reported missing by his family on Monday, January 3. The National Park Service (NPS) noted that the park rangers searched for the missing man in darkness for hours before locating his body about 100 feet below the crater rim, west of the Uēkahuna viewing area at the summit of Kilauea volcano, around 8 am.
The active volcano attracts tourists and locals alike owing to a magnificent view of a glowing lava lake from the eruption of the volcano. The NPS is conducting an investigation into the circumstances leading to the man's fatal fall. Officials noted that the man would be identified after notifying his family.
Many people have fallen at the site
This is not the first time the site has seen such a tragic incident. A 32-year-old man 70 feet fell into the crater in 2019. He, however, survived the fall. According to Newsweek, park rangers and the Fire department rescued him after three hours. He sustained severe injuries from the fall and was taken to a hospital. In another incident, a man died at the site in an apparent suicide in 2017. His remains were found on the caldera floor about 250 feet below Crater Rim Trail.
Chief Ranger John Broward said in 2017 that visitors should never cross safety barriers, especially around dangerous and destabilized cliff edges as it can result in serious injuries and death.
According to the United States Geological Survey service (USGS), the long-dormant Kilauea volcano began erupting again in September 2021. The Kilauea volcano is currently 'exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption,' USGS noted.
