Tourist Falls into Active Indonesian Volcano While Posing for Photo

Ijen Crater
Feng Wei Photography/Getty Images

A Chinese tourist died after tumbling into an active volcano in Indonesia while trying to get a photo of the crater’s mouth.

Huang Lihong, 31, was sightseeing with her husband in Banyuwangi at the Ijen Crater, known for its stunning “blue fire,” on Saturday when the tragic accident occurred, the Straits Times reported.

The couple’s tour guide said he warned them about keeping a safe distance from the volcano’s opening, which Huang listened to at first.

However, the woman began inching closer to the edge in order to capture “a more beautiful backdrop,” according to the South Asian news outlet.

As she walked backward, Huang appeared to trip on her long clothing before plunging nearly 250 feet over the side of the cliff and into the crater.

Local police confirmed the death on Sunday and classified it as an accident.

It took more than two hours for Huang’s body to be retrieved, with photos obtained by the Daily Mail showing rescuers lifting her lifeless remains out on a stretcher. 

The active volcano, one of more than 100 that exist across Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination as well as a mining site for yellow sulfur.

While the crate is active and “regularly” expels gasses and flames, the site is open to the public and frequently has guided tours and hikes. 

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