News Release

Man Seriously Injured After Fall into Kīlauea Caldera

Date: May 1, 2019
Contact: Ben Hayes, 808-985-6010

Hawaii National Park, HI – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park rangers and rescue personnel from Hawai‘i County Fire Department rescued a man who had fallen into Kīlauea caldera late this evening.
 
Earlier, at about 6:30 pm, visitors reported that a man lost his footing and fell from a 300 foot cliff at Kīlauea caldera. The man had just climbed over a permanent metal railing at the Steaming Bluff overlook to get closer to the cliff edge. Responders arrived quickly after and began a coordinated search and rescue of the area. At approximately 9 pm, the man was found alive but seriously injured on a narrow ledge about 70 feet down from the cliff edge. Rescue personnel successfully completed a high angle extrication using ropes and stokes litter and, with support from a Department of Defense helicopter, the man was airlifted to Hilo Medical Center for urgent care.
 
“Visitors should never cross safety barriers, especially around dangerous and destabilized cliff edges,” said Chief Ranger John Broward. “Crossing safety barriers and entering closed areas can result in serious injuries and death.”
 
The last fall fatality in the park occurred on October 29, 2017. 

-NPS-