Free climber dies after falling into volcanic crater in Yemen

Divers recovered the body of a climber known as “The Spider-Man of Yemen” after he fell into a volcanic crater during a dangerous ascent.

A 30-year-old climber fell to his death while free-soloing a volcanic crater in Yemen on Friday. 

Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar was climbing the steep rock walls of the volcanic Hardah Dam crater in the province of Dhale when he fell into the 120-meter (393-foot) crater, according to the Civil Defense of Yemen, which posted a video on Facebook of the fall. 

Diving and water rescue teams descended to the bottom of the crater to retrieve the body in “one of the most difficult and dangerous rescue missions in Yemen,” the Civil Defense said in a Facebook post. The rescue operation took four hours before rescuers found the body, which was located 30 meters (approximately 98 feet) below the water’s surface. 

The site is also known for its hot, sulfur-rich waters, where temperatures range from 40 C to 60 C (104 F to 140 F), per a civil defense source. These dangerous conditions made the mission even more risky for the diving and water rescue team, led by Commander Abdo Mohammed Al-Qans.

Antar was a social media daredevil nicknamed “The Spider-Man of Yemen,” according to The Associated Press. He was well-known for completing dangerous climbs without using any safety equipment, and many of his videos gained widespread attention online. 

The Civil Defense has urged citizens to be cautious while visiting natural and volcanic sites and to follow safety measures to avoid similar incidents.  

Information for this story was gathered using Google Translate.

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