Incredible footage of one man’s death-defying descent into an active volcano has gone viral.
Adventurer Sam Cossman, a self-described ‘Indiana Jones of the digital era’, travelled to the volcanic multi-island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. Once there, he made two expeditions and six descents into the active Marum crater, where he shot this dramatic footage using drones and GoPro cameras.
He told CBS This Morning:
You’re about 20 meters from the actual lava — it’s kind of exploding like the Bellagio Fountain and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s like taking a glimpse into the center of the world.
With the help of a team of volcanologists, Cossman went down 1,200ft using a heat resistant rope. The lava lake at the bottom, known locally as ‘The Entrance To Hell’, reaches temperatures of 2,000 degrees.
According to the video’s caption: ‘More people have visited the moon than the firey depths of this spectacular and deadly location’.
On his mission to share his adventures with the world, he said:
I think I was just wired this way. I’m fascinated by the planet and science, and you know, I’ve always gotten a kick out of going places that are hard to reach, hard to gain access to, and I have the desire to share these miraculous, hidden gems of the world with others who don’t have the opportunity to go explore that.
I look forward to watching more of his adventures from the comfort of my sofa. Rather him than me…
