A tourist met an unfortunate end while attempting to taking a memorable photo at the edge of an active volcano. The woman, a Chinese national named Huang Lihong, was visiting Ijen, a renowned volcano park located in East Java, Indonesia. She tragically lost her life after accidentally falling into the volcano’s crater.
Huang Lihong, a 31-year-old Chinese tourist, was on a guided tour of Ijen with her husband when she reportedly stumbled and fell a massive 250 feet into the active volcano’s crater, Hongxing News reported. This unfortunate incident occurred while she was taking photographs near the edge of the volcano, which is known for its mesmerizing “blue fire” phenomenon that attracts tourists worldwide.
According to the tour guide accompanying them, Lihong initially maintained a safe distance from the crater’s edge, heeding the repeated warnings about the inherent dangers. However, as she attempted to get a better shot, she unknowingly stepped on her long attire, lost her balance, and fell into the volcano’s mouth.
Upon the tragic fall, a team of rescuers was immediately dispatched to retrieve Lihong’s body. Given the challenging terrain and the hazardous conditions, it took the rescue team about two hours to recover her remains. The local authorities have since ruled her death as an accident.
Following the tragic incident, preparations were made to transport Lihong’s remains to Bali, from where they would be airlifted back to China. This incident has raised concerns about the safety measures in place for tourists visiting such dangerous locations.
The Ijen Volcano, part of a cluster of volcanoes in the region, is a popular tourist attraction renowned for its “blue fire”. This natural phenomenon is caused by the combustion of sulfuric gases, which gives the appearance of blue flames emerging from the volcano.