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Yemen's "Spider-Man" climber Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar dies in 400-foot fall into a volcanic crater

Updated on: June 15, 2026 / 11:36 AM EDT / CBS News

Yemen's "Spider-Man" climber Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar dies in 400-foot fall into a volcanic crater

TL;DR

  • Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, a 30-year-old free climber known as the "Spider-Man of Yemen," died Friday after falling into a volcanic crater.
  • He was climbing without safety equipment at the Hardah Dam crater near Damt in southern Yemen, which is approximately 390 feet deep.
  • A video showed Antar losing his grip and falling to the bottom of the crater.
  • Yemeni Civil Defense Authority recovered his body from the crater lake, which has sulfur-rich waters and fluctuating temperatures.
  • The rescue operation was complicated by potent gases rising from underground vents.
  • Antar's death has drawn mixed reactions online, with some attributing his risky behavior to poverty and a desire to gain attention through social media.
  • The Civil Defense Authority urged caution at natural beauty spots and warned against approaching crater edges and steep slopes.