A free climber dubbed the “Spider-Man of Yemen” died Friday after falling into a volcanic crater while demonstrating his skills.
Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, 30, was known for his risky climbing and acrobatic stunts, all carried out without ropes or harnesses. He was climbing Friday at the Hardah Dam crater near the city of Damt in southern Yemen, which is about 390 feet deep.
A short video circulated widely online shows Antar hanging from the crater wall without safety equipment, as he had done many times before at the site. But on Friday, he suddenly lost his grip and fell to the bottom.
Yemeni Civil Defense Authority/AP
His death drew many messages of condolence on social media, though some were less sympathetic, noting the extreme risks he took. Supporters defended him, however, noting that Antar was likely driven to make the social media videos of his feats in a bid to escape the poverty in which he lived.
Yemen’s Civil Defense Authority said Saturday that Antar’s body was recovered from the lake at the bottom of the crater after a complex, four-hour search and recovery operation.
The agency said his body was recovered from about 65 feet below the surface of the crater lake, which it said has sulfur-rich waters with temperatures ranging from about 100 to 140 degrees. Potent gases rising from underground vents also made the conditions extremely complicated for rescue teams.
Yemeni Civil Defense Authority/AP 
The Civil Defense Authority urged citizens and visitors to exercise caution when visiting natural beauty spots, and it warned people to stay away from the edge of craters and steep slopes and to follow general safety guidelines.
Free climbing has been around for many years, but social media has brought the daredevil sport to global audiences and fueled a surge in popularity.
Alex Honnold, one of the world’s best known free soloists, completed an ascent of Taiwan’s 1,667-foot Taipei 101 tower without any ropes in January, with the world watching live online as he scaled the building.
Balin Miller, a popular Alaskan free climber, fell to his death at the age of 23 last summer on Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan.
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