Indonesia volcano: Tourist, 31, dies after plunging 250ft into crater of active volcano while husband took photos

A tourist has died after plunging 250ft into the crater of an active volcano in Indonesia on 20 April, according to local media reports. The victim, named as 31-year-old Chinese national Huang Lihong, was reportedly posing for sunrise pictures before she fell into the volcano. 

The victim fell into the Ijen Crater in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. She and her husband, Zhang Yong, had reportedly climbed the slope with a local guide so they could watch the dramatic sunrise from the volcano's rim.

But as Lihong posed for the pictures, her skirt reportedly got caught, which caused her to stumble. She ended up tumbling backwards over the edge into the crater in front of her horrified husband.

One photograph released after her fall shows the victim posing on what appears to be the rim of the volcano. She had one leg raised while clouds of steam and sulphur gas were rising behind her. Local media said that she fell 250ft into the mouth of the volcano and it took rescuers more than two hours to retrieve her body.

Dwi Putro Sugiarto, the head of the Department of Conservation for the Banyuwangi region, said that the incident was an accident and that tourists should always remain safe while scaling Mount Ijen. Her body will reportedly be transported to Bali before it will be taken by air back to China.

Mount Ijen is part of a group of volcanoes on the border between Banyuwangi and Bondowoso in East Java. The volcanoes are known for their blue fire which is an effect created by sulphuric gas emanating from the crater and igniting and burning.