(CNN) A visitor to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park climbed past the metal railing, lost his footing and fell into the Kilauea volcano caldera, according to Ben Hayes, spokesperson with the National Park Service. Hayes said on Wednesday evening, authorities got a call that a man had fallen into the caldera -- the crater formed by previous volcanic activity. "Park officials immediately launched a search and rescue operation with the Hawaii County Fire Department and around 9 p.m. local time search and rescue located the man. He was seriously injured, perched on a narrow ledge 70 feet from the cliff edge." Kilauea volcano crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island of HawaiiHayes stressed, "visitors should never cross safety barriers, especially near the caldera's ridge.

Source: CNN May 02, 2019 18:45 UTC