Self-proclaimed 'Spider Man of Yemen' dies after falling 120m into volcanic crater

Al Qaqa Ibn Antar, a 30-year-old climber known online as “The Spider Man of Yemen,” has died after falling into the volcanic Hardah Dam crater.

The man died while scaling its steep walls without safety equipment, according to BBC.

The Civil Defense Authority said Antar lost his grip on Friday while climbing the rocky rim of the crater in Dhale province and plunged into the 120-metre (393-foot) depression.

A short 10-second video that has since gone viral captured the moment of the fall.

It shows Antar ascending the cliff face unaided, with white Arabic names painted on the rock behind him.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by India Today (@indiatoday)

At one point, he appears to brace himself with his right hand while holding his left arm before his grip gives way and he drops out of view.

Rescue teams, including divers and water specialists, mounted a four-hour operation to recover his body.

Divers later retrieved it at about 30 metres (100 feet) beneath the surface of the crater’s hot, sulphurous lake.

The Hardah Dam, also known as Haradhat Damt, sits near the city of Damt in southern Yemen’s Dhale province.

The crater is a prominent local landmark, known for its steep rock walls and a sulphur-tainted pool at its base that makes access highly hazardous.

Antar rose to prominence on social media through viral clips of unaided ascents across Yemen’s rugged terrain.

In several widely shared videos, he is seen dangling from cliff edges by his bare hands while performing high-risk stunts that attracted large online audiences.

Following the incident, the Civil Defense Authority urged climbers and adventure enthusiasts to observe safety protocols and use protective gear to prevent similar tragedies.