Body Recovered from Kīlauea Volcano Caldera

Update (11:54 a.m. 7.11.17)

Park officials have identified the 38-year-old man recovered early Sunday morning near the bottom of Kīlauea caldera as Gregory Michael Ure, also known as Leo Michael Adonis, of California. His last known address was La Mesa, CA.

A Valentine’s Day 2017 view of Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake, here the surface of the lake is about 21 m (69 ft) below the vent rim. The lake diameter is about 255 m or 840 ft. Careful tracking of the amount of ash emitted by lake processes suggest an important new factor in the supply of magma to Kīlauea’s summit. USGS Photo.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park officials confirm the finding of a note in the backpack belonging to the victim. Details concerning the note and circumstances of the death will not be publicly discussed until the National Park Service has concluded its investigation and the county pathologist has ruled on the cause of death.

On Saturday, July 8, two visitors discovered a backpack on Crater Rim Trail at approximately 7 p.m. Park dispatch was notified, and rangers searched the caldera rim and floor on foot, but were unable to locate its owner. The search was suspended due to unsafe conditions at night, and resumed at dawn on Sunday, July 9.

Rangers aboard a helicopter found the victim about 250 feet below the caldera rim, in an area that is not currently erupting, around 5:35 a.m. Sunday.

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The body of a 38-year-old man was recovered by park rangers early Sunday morning near the bottom of the Kīlauea caldera on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.

Authorities say two visitors discovered a backpack on the Crater Rim Trail at approximately 7 p.m. on Sat., July 8, 2017 and notified authorities.

Rangers initially searched the caldera rim and floor on foot, but were unable to locate the owner of the backpack. The search was suspended due to unsafe conditions at night, and resumed at first light on Sunday morning, July 9.

Rangers aboard a helicopter found the victim about 250 feet below the caldera rim, in an area that is not currently erupting, at around 5:35 a.m.

The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. An investigation is underway.