Man Dies After Fall Into Hawaii Volcano

75-year-old was in closed-off area, NPS says
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2022 7:03 PM CST
Man Dies After Fall Into Hawaii Volcano
This image provided by USGS Volcanoes shows the eruption within in Kilauea volcano's Halemaumau crater taken from a static web cam on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021.   (USGS via AP)

The National Park Service says it is investigating the death of a Hawaii man who apparently fell into an active volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Sunday night. The NPS said in a statement that relatives reported the man missing from inside the park around 12:15am Monday, Hawaii News Now reports. Park rangers and firefighters found the 75-year-old's body around 100 feet below the rim of Kilauea volcano. Rangers assisted by a helicopter retrieved the body around 8am Monday.

Rangers said the man had fallen from a closed-off area of the park and his body was found west of the Uekahuna viewing area at the summit. The volcano, considered one of the most dangerous in the country, started erupting in September and people have been visiting at night hoping to see the glowing lava lake on the floor of Halemaumau Crater, CBS reports. The USGS said Tuesday that the eruption is currently paused, but it is expected to restart within 24 hours. (A 32-year-old soldier survived a fall into the volcano in 2019.)

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