A 30-year-old man had to be rescued by Hawaii National Park first responders after falling some 30 feet off a steep cliffside while trying to get a better view of the Kilauea volcanic eruption earlier this month, officials announced.
The incident and ensuing rescue unfolded June 11, with rescuers responding to reports of the fall at around 9 p.m., according to a news release from Hawaii National Park.
Kilauea began erupting that day at around 12 p.m., spewing lava fountains that reached more than 1,000 feet and drawing crowds of onlookers.
The 30-year-old man, a tourist from Boston, who did not have a flashlight or a headlamp, veered off Byron Ledge Trail, officials said, which led to his fall.
First responders, who were managing eruption traffic at the time of the incident, quickly made their way to the location and performed a high-angle rescue requiring rescuers to rappel down the steep, heavily vegetated cliff face and hoist the man back to safety.
“A tree had broken the man’s fall and prevented him from plunging another 100 feet or so to the caldera floor, which could have resulted in his death,” park officials noted.
Since it began erupting in 2024, Hawaii National Park has seen a surge in visitors, all of whom are consistently warned to stay on marked trails, not to climb over safety rails, carry flashlights or headlamps and wear sturdy hiking footwear.
In a terrifying Christmas Day incident, a toddler wandered off from his family and came within a foot of falling off a 400-foot cliff edge, USA Today reported.
“Those who ignore the warnings, walk past closure signs, lose track of loved ones, and sneak into closed areas to get a closer look do so at great risk,” park officials said following that incident.
