Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park first responders recently rescued a male visitor who fell 30 feet from a steep cliff after venturing off Byron Ledge Trail.
The 30-year-old Boston man, who suffered minor facial injuries, 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. He did not have a flashlight or headlamp.
The park’s search and rescue team performed a high-angle rescue that involved rappelling down the steep cliff face and hoisting the man to safety. A tree had broken the man’s fall and prevented him from plunging another hundred feet or so to the caldera floor, which could have resulted in his death.
Park rangers, trail signs and social media are available to educate people about volcanic hazards.
Photo credit: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
