A 10-second video captured the final moments of Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, the daredevil known as 'The Spider-Man of Yemen', as he lost his grip and fell 393 feet into the Hardah Dam volcanic crater in Dhale. The 30-year-old was climbing the steep walls of the crater on Friday without any safety equipment, authorities said. The clip shows Antar scaling a rocky cliff where names in Arabic are written in white across the face. He is seen holding on with his right hand, his left hand raised, before his grip fails and he plummets.
Rescue teams, including diving and water specialists, launched a four-hour search and rescue operation described as 'complex' due to the steep and rocky terrain. Divers eventually found Antar's body 100 feet below the water surface of the hot sulfurous lake at the crater's base. The Hardah Dam, also known as Haradhat Damt, is a landmark volcanic crater near the city of Damt in Yemen's southern Dahle province.
“Daredevil Al-Qaqa Ibn Antar, known as 'The Spider-Man of Yemen', fell 393ft into a volcanic crater while climbing without safety gear.”
Antar had gained fame on social media for posting viral videos of high-risk ascents across Yemen's rugged terrain. In one video, he hung from the edge of a cliff using only his bare hands, his legs dangling toward a steep slope — another stunt performed without safety equipment.
Following his death, the Civil Defense Authority urged climbers and adventure sports enthusiasts to observe safety procedures and use 'appropriate protective gear to avert similar incidents.'