Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar: Spider-Man of Yemen dies while climbing volcanic crater without safety equipment

A daredevil adventurer known as the Spider-Man of Yemen has died after falling into a volcano crater while attempting to climb vertical rock faces without safety equipment, authorities say.

Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, 30, was climbing the steep walls of the Hardah Dam volcanic crater in the southern province of Dhale on Friday when he lost his grip and fell into the 120 metre crater, according to the Civil Defence Authority, which posted a graphic short video capturing the moment of his fall.

The 10-second video shows Antar climbing a rocky cliff without any safety equipment.

On the cliff he is scaling, names in Arabic have been written in white across the rocky wall.

He is then seen holding the cliff with his right hand, with his left hand in the air, before he appears to lose his right grip and falls.

Rescue teams, including diving and water specialists, were sent to retrieve Antar’s body, which divers found at a depth of 30 metres below the water.

The four-hour search-and-rescue operation was described by the authority as “complex” due to the steep, rocky terrain, which made access difficult.

The Hardah Dam — known also as the Haradhat Damt — is a unique volcanic crater located near the city of Damt, in Yemen ‘s southern Dahle province.

A landmark of the region, the crater has steep rocky walls with a hot sulphurous lake at its base.

Antar had gained fame on social media platforms where he posted videos showing him performing high-risk ascents of some of Yemen’s most rugged terrain.

His videos often went viral. In one of them, he was seen hanging from the edge of a rocky cliff using his bare hands, his legs dangling toward a steep slope in a risky performance without safety equipment.

The Civil Defence Authority has urged those who climb and engage in adventure sports to observe safety procedures and issued a warning to use “appropriate protective gear to avert similar incidents”.