Person Dead After Entering Restricted Area Of Kilauea At Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

A person has passed away after they went into a restricted zone around the Kilauea volcano at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), officials issued a response to an occurrence Feb. 26 in an area that was closed off towards the east of Kilauea caldera at the national park.

Per officials, no eruption was happening from the volcano. Overnight operations were launched by search and rescue crews in precipitous terrain. (RELATED: Rural Louisiana Rattled By Rare Magnitude 4.9 Earthquake That Becomes Strongest In State History)

Authorities located the person the next day and he was airlifted from the zone. The individual was taken to a local medical center where he was pronounced dead, according to NPS.

The deceased person is a 33-year-old resident of Hawaiʻi, however, their complete identity has been retained due to privacy considerations that are currently pending.

A local man died from an incident near Kīlauea caldera: https://t.co/GDfuy152LP pic.twitter.com/piPUL2UmGW

— KHON2 News (@KHONnews) March 4, 2026

The terrain of Kilauea caldera is dangerous, and features volcanic elements and cliff edges that are unstable. The zone is restricted to the public because of great danger, which includes possible landslides and cracks due to tremor, particularly around the crater rim of Halemaʻumaʻu, per the USGS.

Feb. 15, 2026 saw the last eruption from Kilauea, with it marking the 42nd time since Dec. 23, 2024. In the eruption, the south vent fell quickly, and then for around 30 seconds, it jetted back up. (RELATED: I-95 Corridor To Be Blasted With Drenching Rain As Winter-Weary Northeast Starts Seeing Warmer Temperatures)

When it comes to volcanic activity, it’s sporadic as eruptions are divided due to pauses that last multiple days or potentially more. On the flip side, lulls can also be short-living, only lasting a number of hours. It’s anticipated that the next eruption will happen anywhere between March 10-16, however, things could change with the forecast window based on what the circumstances are.

People visiting the park have been issued a reminder to stay in designated open areas and to not enter closed zones due to safety reasons. The occurrence is still being investigated.