Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, a 30-year-old Yemeni adventurer widely known on social media as the "Spider-Man of Yemen," has died after falling into a volcanic crater in the country's south-west. Antar was attempting to scale the near-vertical rock walls of the Hardah Dam volcanic crater in Dhale province — a mountainous region in southern Yemen — on Friday when he lost his grip and plunged into the crater below. Authorities confirmed he was climbing without any safety equipment at the time.
Antar had amassed a large online following through videos of himself performing daring free-climbing stunts on cliffs and rugged mountain terrain across Yemen, frequently without protective gear. The footage, which circulated widely, earned him his "Spider-Man" nickname. Video appearing to show the moment of the fall has also spread rapidly online, depicting him climbing the steep interior wall of the crater before losing his grip.
Yemen's Civil Defence Authority deployed water rescue specialists and divers to the site following the incident. Antar's body was located approximately 30 metres below the surface of the lake that sits at the base of the crater — a hot sulfur lake that has made the Hardah Dam a notable tourist attraction in recent years. The crater itself measures roughly 120 metres in width. Recovering the body required a complex operation lasting around four hours, during which rescuers descended into the crater using ropes and lowered a metal rescue cage to retrieve him.
The authority described the mission as "one of the most difficult and complex field rescue missions" it had undertaken, praising its team for "exceptional field capabilities amid rugged terrain, harsh environmental conditions and high temperatures inside the volcanic crater." Personnel involved in the recovery were subsequently promoted in recognition of their efforts.
The incident has prompted Yemen's Civil Defence Authority to issue a public appeal urging climbers and adventure enthusiasts to follow established safety procedures and use proper protective equipment. Antar's death highlights the growing risks faced by social media adventurers who push physical limits without precautions — a concern that has drawn attention internationally as extreme content continues to attract large audiences online.