Visitors have been flocking to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to catch a glimpse of the Kīlauea volcano, which has been erupting since December of last year. But one visitor last week got a bit too close to the action.
A Boston man visiting the park fell 30 feet from a steep cliff after venturing off Byron Ledge Trail on June 11, according to the National Park Service. He told search and rescue rangers that he wanted a closer look at the Kīlauea volcano eruption and got too close to the sheer cliff edge. It was dark at the time, and he did not have a flashlight or headlamp.
The fall to the floor of the caldera would have been another hundred feet more, but luckily the man fell into a tree that broke his fall. The 30-year-old only suffered minor facial injuries.
The park’s well-trained search and rescue team received the alert around 9 p.m. The crew was called away from managing visitor traffic to performed a high-angle rescue that involved rappelling down the steep, heavily vegetated cliff face and hoisting the man to safety.
Following the incident, the park encouraged visitors to take time to review the park’s education materials about volcanic hazards. Some safety guidelines include:
• Stay on marked trails and overlooks. Do not approach earth cracks or cliff edges, the edge is often unstable, undercut, or hidden by vegetation or loose rocks.
• Do not climb over rock walls, railings, or safety barriers, they are there for your safety.
• Keep a close eye on everyone in your group, especially children.
• Carry a flashlight or headlamp at night and always wear sturdy footwear with good traction when hiking.
Kīlauea volcano has drawn a surge of visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park since it began erupting December 23, 2024. The June 11 eruption, which started around noon and ended at 8:08 p.m., was the 25th episode with lava fountains that reached more than 1,000 feet and fed voluminous flows on the crater floor.
The eruption is in a closed area of the park due to its serious hazards but is visible from many overlooks along the caldera rim.
