A 30‑year‑old free‑climber who had earned the nickname “Spider‑Man of Yemen” was killed when he fell into a volcanic crater near Dhale province late Friday. Al‑Qaqa Ibn Antar was attempting to scale the steep, near‑vertical walls of the Hardah Dam crater without any safety equipment.
The Hardah Dam crater, a 120‑meter‑wide basin formed by a dormant volcano, is one of Yemen’s most celebrated natural landmarks and has become a tourist attraction known for its hot sulfur lake.
Video footage of the fall has circulated widely online. It shows Antar losing his grip and descending into the deep crater. Yemeni Civil Defence officials recovered his body from 30 meters below the water surface by winching a cage down the crater wall.
In a statement, the Yemen Civil Defence Authority praised the “heroic efforts” of its water rescue team for the operation, describing it as “highly dangerous” and one of the “most difficult and complex field rescue missions.” The team had been promoted for their exceptional capabilities in harsh conditions.
