Yemen's Civil Defense Agency announced on 14/6 that Al Qa'qa' Ibn Antar, 30, died two days earlier, on 12/6, while climbing a cliff face at the Hardah Dam volcano crater in Al Dhale province, southern Yemen.
Antar, known as "Yemen's Spider-Man" for his risky climbs, slipped and fell approximately 120 m into the deep crater. Local authorities released a 10-second video showing the final moments before the tragedy.
The video depicts Antar climbing the near-vertical cliff without safety ropes or any protective gear. He gripped the rock face with one hand, while the other was raised, performing twisting, acrobatic moves. In a moment, he lost his grip and fell into the abyss.
The moment "Yemen's Spider-Man" fell into the volcano crater on 12/6. Video: X/MOATH
Search and rescue teams, including diving and underwater recovery specialists, were deployed to the scene. After hours of searching in challenging terrain, they located Antar's body submerged at the bottom of the crater.
The Yemen Civil Defense Agency described the rescue as a complex operation due to the accident site's steep, rocky, and difficult-to-access terrain. Local sources reported that the search and recovery effort lasted nearly one day.
The Hardah Dam volcano crater is located near Damt city in Al Dhale province, approximately 176 km south of the capital, Sanaa. It is a well-known Yemeni landmark, characterized by vertical cliffs encircling a hot sulfur lake at its base.
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Al Qa'qa' Ibn Antar, 30, was dubbed "Yemen's Spider-Man" for his many videos of risky climbs without protective gear. Photo: Yemen Online
Antar, also known as Antar Al Absi, was one of Yemen's most prominent adventure content creators. He garnered a large social media following through videos documenting his expeditions conquering mountains, cliffs, and volcano craters across the country.
Many of his videos went viral, featuring scenes of him climbing nearly vertical cliffs or hanging precariously over precipices with bare hands, without using safety ropes or harnesses.
Following the incident, the Yemen Civil Defense Agency urged individuals participating in climbing and adventure sports to adhere to safety protocols and use appropriate protective equipment to prevent similar accidents.
By Thanh Danh (Based on AP, Sky, Yemen Online)
