Crash in a Volcano | Climbing Out | 2
42:12 Share

A rescue worker steps carefully along the rim of the Pu'u O'o crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Cold rain stings his face as he gets pummeled by the howling wind. Above him, the sky boils with a mass of storm clouds that are growing darker as sunset approaches. The path along the rim is wide enough for several men, but it still feels like walking a tightrope.

The rescue worker struggles to keep his balance as loose volcanic rocks give way under his feet. Pu'u O'o is the most active crater in the Kilauea volcanic system. The rescue worker stops for a moment to peer into it. All he can see is a swirling mass of thick volcanic steam and gases filling the crater like a cauldron. "Hello! Can anyone hear me?" There's no reply.

A few hours earlier, a helicopter carrying two Hollywood cameramen and their pilot crashed inside the crater. The pilot was rescued by another chopper, but then a violent tropical storm rolled in, stirring up high winds and trapping dangerous volcanic gases inside the crater. The leaders of the rescue operation refused to allow another flight in such dangerous conditions.

Now, a team of rescue workers scouts along the rim of the crater, shouting down to the two lost men, hidden hundreds of feet below in the toxic fog. "Can you hear me? We're with the rescue team. Hello?" Nobody answers. Even if the men happened to be right below him, he'd be surprised if they could hear him over the roaring winds, or if he could hear their reply. Through the gloom, a figure approaches. It's his supervisor.

That's it! We have to call it! All afternoon, they've battled the storm, but now the intensity has reached a new level. The rain is literally blowing sideways, and violent gusts of wind are threatening to knock the rescuers off the rim and into the crater.

The rescue worker knows it's dangerous. The volcanic rocks are razor sharp. One loose stone could start a rock slide that would cascade down onto the men trapped somewhere below. Still, he's not ready to give up.

but we can't just leave them down there. I know, but with this wind, we're likely to join them if we don't head back down to base camp and the sun's about to set. We won't even have visuals. We're close. I can feel it. Give me 20 more minutes. Just... A sudden gust of wind knocks the rescue worker off balance. He stumbles, falls forward, and lands face down on the sharp rocks just inches from the crater's edge.

Hang on! I got you! You're right.

We should get out before someone gets hurt. I just hope those guys can make it through the night. His supervisor sighs. Ten more minutes, okay? And then we pack up. Don't get too close to the edge. The rescue worker goes back to searching for the lost men. Hello? Anyone hear me? Hello? Hello?

He knows it would be a miracle to find the men in 10 minutes. And even if he did, then what? Darkness is coming and the storm is getting worse. Trying to pull them out in these conditions could end with even more men falling into the abyss.

In our fast-paced, screen-filled world, it can be all too easy to lose that sense of imagination and wonder. If you're looking for new ways to ignite your creativity and open your mind to fresh perspectives, then let Audible be your guide. Whether you listen to stories, motivation, or any genre you love,

you can be inspired to imagine new worlds, new possibilities, and new ways of thinking. There's more to imagine when you listen. Plus, as an Audible member, you'll get one title a month to keep from their entire catalog. If you're into mythology, then I recommend the title Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. He's an amazing storyteller that narrates this unique version of the Norse myths.

Listen along. New members can try Audible free for 30 days. Visit audible.com slash the odds or text the odds to 500-500. That's audible.com slash the odds or text the odds to 500-500. Against the Odds is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Most of you aren't just listening right now. You're driving, cleaning, and even exercising. But what if you could be saving money by switching to Progressive?

Drivers who save by switching save nearly $750 on average, and auto customers qualify for an average of seven discounts. Multitask right now. Quote today at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. National average 12-month savings of $744 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2022 and May 2023. Potential savings will vary. Discounts not available in all states and situations.

From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey and this is Against the Odds. On November 21st, 1992, a helicopter crashed in one of the craters of Kilauea, the most active volcano on the Hawaiian Islands.

On board were a pilot and two cameramen, there to shoot footage for a major Hollywood film. A few hours after the crash, a second helicopter was able to rescue the pilot, Craig Hosking. But then a tropical storm blew in, making conditions too dangerous to rescue the other two survivors, cameramen Chris Duddy and Mike Benson.

Now, Chris and Mike must survive a night in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. The inside of an active volcano. This is Episode 2, Climbing Out. Chris Duddy pulls his sweatshirt over his head and draws his knees to his chest. He's huddled on a ledge high up on the crater wall.

He climbed up here just after the crash, hoping to find an escape route. But then he got stuck, unable to find a safe path either up or down. Now he's clinging to this narrow ledge, pressed against the wall of the crater, trapped. Their helicopter went down this morning. Now Chris can tell it's almost sundown. Through the thick haze of volcanic gases, he can see that the light is fading.

A few hours ago, it started raining. Before, he was sweating from the volcano's heat. Now, he's shivering with cold. His eyes sting and his lungs burn from the foul-smelling volcanic fumes. He closes his eyes to protect them from the toxic vapors, but he can't escape his growing sense of horror.

The crater is an unstable, dangerous environment. All around him, you can hear large rocks tumbling down the cliffs and smashing at the bottom. And if he listens closer, he can hear the gurgling river of magma that's flowing beneath the crust.

Chris looks down the wall of the crater. He can't see him through the steam, but he knows that somewhere below, about 50 feet down, Mike is pressed against the cliff. Mike? You hearing anything from Craig? Craig not. Not long after the crash, Craig Hosking, their pilot, decided to try to fix the helicopter's radio. He had been shouting up to Chris and Mike every so often to share his progress, but now...

It's been an hour of silence. At one point, Chris heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter passing. But then, it flew away, and he's heard nothing since. A dark thought creeps into Chris's head.

Craig must be dead. He was probably suffocated by the fumes, which were much more concentrated at the crash site. Or maybe he stumbled into the lava pond at the center of the crater. Chris feels a cramp in his leg. He's been sitting in the same awkward position for hours. He shifts his weight and nearly falls off the ledge. He grips the sharp stones around him and lowers his head. He doesn't know how much more of this he can take.

But then, through the wind and the noise of the volcano, he hears something new. Chris's heart jumps in his chest. Hey! We're here! We're down here! Hello! Between the howling winds and the echoing of the crater, Chris can barely hear the man calling from up above. And he figures the man can barely hear him either. What? Chris pumps his fist. The rescuers are here!

Mike, did you hear that? There are people here to rescue us! Chris is overjoyed. He won't die down here after all. He'll be pulled up to safety and out of this nightmare. We're here! Drop us a rope! There's a long pause and then the voice comes back, hesitant. What?! Come up here! There's nothing to hold us! Don't worry! Chris struggles to process what he thinks he heard.

The rescuers are going to come back in the morning. Did you say you'll come back at first light? The rescuer shouts that they'll send someone back every hour to check on them. If Chris hears a whistle, he should whistle back to let them know they're okay. And what if we don't whistle back? No answer.

Chris's heart sinks in his chest. How can they possibly expect him to survive the night here? He can barely breathe. He pulls his knees up again and tents his sweatshirt back over his head, feeling cold, vulnerable, and abandoned. Laura Biederman runs through the rain,

Just a few hours ago, she was about 20 miles away in Hilo, sitting in the comfort of a makeshift movie production office in her hotel. Now, she's in a dirt lot where the production's base camp has been set up, just a few miles from the crater. She quickens her pace to catch up with a county fire department official.

You can't tell me you're just going to pack up and leave. Look, we can hear them, we just can't locate them. The acoustics inside the crater, they're just too bad, and we can't see a thing down there. We'll come back at dawn and pick up where we left off, okay? Laura is a producer on the film Sliver, the movie for which Mike and Chris were shooting their volcano footage.

When their helicopter went down earlier today, it was Laura who got the call from the park service. She called the fire department and suggested they use the production's base camp as a staging area for the rescue. Laura is grateful that the pilot was rescued, but she won't rest until all of her crew is brought to safety, even if it means pushing the rescuers to go beyond their normal protocol.

So what then? You're just gonna leave them there overnight to die? The fire department official stops walking and turns angrily towards Laura. They shouldn't even be there. They were cleared to fly over the volcano, not into it. Laura feels the blood rush to her face. But they're in there now! This is your job! They could be dead by tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I'm not losing my guys to rescue your guys.

Laura watches through the rain as the official stomps off to his truck. She turns and walks back to the base camp tent, her mind reeling. As soon as she's inside, she picks up the phone and dials. If she can't count on the fire department, she'll have to take matters into her own hands. Mike Benson squeezes deeper into the small alcove where he sheltered himself in the wall of the crater.

It's pitch dark now. His throat is parched, his eyes are burning, and the falling rain has soaked through his clothes. Mike's a man who can find humor in any situation, but even his nerves are starting to fray. He looks up at the steep wall, where he knows Chris is perched somewhere just above him. You still there, Chris? Still here. I was, uh, thinking about getting some ice cream. You wanna come?

madam pele may not allow it yeah this must be her revenge for your terrible throw madam pele is the legendary hawaiian goddess of the volcano if a helicopter needs to fly over an active volcano it's tradition for the passengers to make an offering to pele earlier that day chris was supposed to drop a ceremonial bottle of gin into the

into the crater from their hovering chopper. But he missed his target. Mike's not superstitious, but the circumstances he's in are so insane, he's starting to wonder if they should have flown back and grabbed a second bottle. He closes his eyes and tries to build a mental image that will make him feel happy and calm. He pictures his wife, Stephanie, now that his kids have grown up. He and Stephanie are closer than ever. He imagines her face,

Her distinctive smile. The small scar under her chin that she's had since she was seven. In a flash, that comforting image disappears. Mike is overcome with yet another violent coughing fit. His throat feels like a desert. He hasn't had a sip of water since this morning. He wishes he'd savored that gulp. The rain falls harder.

Suddenly, Mike is struck with an idea. From his pocket, he pulls out his light meter, a small handheld device used to check light levels when he's filming. The sensor has a dome-shaped cap. It's small, but maybe he can use the cap to collect rain. Mike fumbles in the dark to get the light meter open, then flips the cap over and lets the tiny bowl fill with rainwater.

He brings the cap to his dried out lips, takes a sip, but the water tastes bitterly of sulfur. The toxic volcanic fumes have permeated the rain, making it undrinkable. He'll have no relief for his thirst tonight. Chris Duddy sits in the darkness on his ledge, curled tightly into a ball.

His head is underneath his sweatshirt in a near useless effort to block the toxic gas he's been inhaling for hours. He feels like a turtle sinking deeper and deeper into its shell.

The last few hours have been torture, and he knows it's only going to get worse. His legs hurt, and his eyes and throat burn. But the pain is almost secondary to the constant threat of death hanging over him. The falling rocks, the bubbling lava. He knows that the chance of a full-scale eruption is slim, but that's not much solace as he imagines the night that awaits him.

He's going to be cramped on this ledge for hours with no sleep and no water. The fumes will keep pouring up from the vent in the center of the crater and it will get harder to breathe.

Chris pops his head out of his sweatshirt and looks around. Between the steam and the darkness, he can barely see past his arm. But behind the haze, he can just barely make out a flickering orange glow from the lava pond in the center of the crater. It casts an eerie light through the haze. Even amid the horror of it all, Chris wishes he had his camera to capture the scene.

So far, the fire department guys have kept their word. They're checking in, but the occasional whistle is cold comfort. He knows no one is coming to rescue them before sunrise. Chris puts two fingers in his mouth and blows. He's certain that the rescuers know he and Mike are still alive, but he can feel his spirits dropping fast. If he doesn't make it through the night, he'll be leaving his two sons without a father. And for what?

all for one stupid background shot. He pulls his head back inside the shell of his sweatshirt and starts to compose a letter in his mind, a letter to his sons. "Dear Colin, dear Cameron, I never thought I'd say goodbye to you so young." The wind gets louder and the rain falls harder. Chris huddles on the dark ledge and silently says goodbye to everyone he loves.

When you're hiring, time is of the essence. That's why more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide use Indeed to find exceptional talent fast. Indeed's powerful matching engine works quickly. So quickly that, according to Indeed data worldwide, every minute 23 hires are made on Indeed.

But it doesn't stop there, because Indeed also helps you hire better. 93% of employers agree Indeed delivers the highest quality matches compared to other job sites, according to a recent Indeed survey. That's because their matching engine is always learning from your preference. So the more you use Indeed, the better it gets.

So let Indeed be your go-to for making great hires quickly and easily. And listeners of the show, get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com slash the odds. Just go to Indeed.com slash the odds right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.

Indeed.com slash the odds. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. These days, it feels like we're all just on the hunt for ways to optimize our health and feel our absolute best. The only problem is, with all these supplements out there, it can be really tough to know which ones are actually worth your time and money. That's where today's sponsor, Symbiotica, comes in.

Symbiotica is a premium supplement brand that's raising the bar when it comes to purity, potency, and efficacy. Their supplements are formulated with high-quality ingredients. That's why their formulas don't have any seed oils, preservatives, toxins, artificial additives, or natural flavors.

Plus, while most supplements can taste chalky or sulfuric, Symbiotica's supplements have amazing flavors like citrus lime, vanilla chai, or wild berry. I've been loving the magnesium supplement from Symbiotica. Being low in magnesium, I've made it a priority lately to take it consistently. I love how I can take it on the go and ensure I'm never missing a dose. Feel more energized, alert, and balanced with high-quality supplements that work.

Head over to Symbiotica.com and use code ODDS for 20% off and free shipping on your subscription order. Mike Benson lifts his head and feels the comforting warmth of light against his face. Even through the rain and the thick haze, he can make out the unmistakable glow of the sunrise. It was a long, sleepless night, but now it's morning and he's still alive.

Above him, he can hear a faint whistle, and then one in return. He just hopes that it means the rescue will be starting up soon. Mike looks up at the wall toward his friend. We're getting out today, Chris. I can feel it in my bones. Great. My bones feel like crap. As it gets lighter, Mike surveys his surroundings. The fumes seem to be clearing a little.

From his perch, he can see a fair distance along the crater wall. Feels like a good omen. But then, an hour passes. And another. Mike can feel his frustration building. Why is it taking so long for the rescue to begin? Suddenly, Chris' voice cuts through the wind from above.

Mike, is that a rope? Mike looks to his left. There, about 40 feet away along the crater wall, a rope has descended. Oh my god, it is! It's like a gift from heaven. Except that it's too far away. There's no way Mike could possibly reach it. The rope lies still against the rocks for a moment, then slides back up and out of sight. A few seconds later, it drops back down,

10 feet closer now. Chris shouts up to the rescue workers. It comes down again. 20 feet to your right. The next time the rope returns, it's just 10 feet away. Mike presses himself against the crater wall and stretches his arm out as far as he can. The rope is still just beyond his reach, but it's so close. I'm jumping for it. If you miss, you'll fall straight down onto those rocks.

I know. Mike bends his legs and readies himself to jump. Okay. One, two. But before he can move, the rope disappears back up the wall of the crater. No, no, no, no. I could have made it. Don't worry, Mike. They're really just trying to get it closer. It's coming back. But minutes pass, and then an hour. The rain keeps falling, and still no rope.

Mike can't believe it. "They gotta come back eventually, right?" But Chris only grunts in response. Mike lowers his head and exhales. He hunkers down in his alcove and wonders how much more they'll have to endure. Chris Duddy studies the rock he's gripping in his hand. He turns it over and runs his finger along its sharp edges. Then he throws it as hard as he can into the thick haze.

Hours have passed since Chris and Mike last caught a glimpse of the rope. It never came back after that last attempt. As far as Chris can tell, their would-be saviors are gone. He looks up at the rim of the crater. A break in the storm has let some sunlight pierce the thick fog of volcanic steam. Chris studies the light with a cameraman's eye. He can tell by its color and the length of the shadows that it'll be dark again soon. The thought of it

nearly makes him cry. "I can't take another night down here, Mike." "We made it this long. You just need to hold out a little longer for the rescue workers to come back." "No, there's gotta be another way." Chris looks above him for the thousandth time, scanning the rocky wall for some path that might lead upward to freedom. A break in the murky haze has given him a better view, but there's nothing new to see. Until...

As Chris watches, a ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds, illuminating the crater wall. That's when he sees it. A series of rocks that could work like stepping stones, taking him the last hundred feet to the top of the crater. Mike, I think I see a way up. I'm gonna go for it. You sure? The rocks could be loose.

Chris grabs hold of a large outcropping of rock above him to his left.

He carefully pulls himself up and then stands on his new perch. It's the most that he's moved in the last 30 hours. The sun continues to sink toward the horizon. He doesn't have much light left, but he keeps going. He scrambles up to the next rock and the next. His progress is slow, but Chris makes his way higher and higher.

The rain starts falling harder, lashing against his face. The wind is pushing volcanic fumes around, making it harder to see. But when he looks up, he can see the top. Only a few more feet to climb, and he's free. He reaches out for a rock, but it immediately breaks off from the crater wall. He realizes he has nothing to hold on to.

The rocks along the rim of the crater are a mix of loose crumbly pumice and sharp-edged volcanic glass. Anything he might try to grab will either slash him like a knife or break off in his hands. Chris studies the rock wall in front of him. These last six feet or so are a sheer vertical face. His only way out of the crater is to go straight up. But how, when the rocks are too loose to hold his weight, even for a moment?

He racks his brain. If only he had a rod that he could push deep into the wall, it might hold in place. Then he'd have the leverage to pull himself over the rim. Then an idea hits him. He doesn't have a rod, but he does have his arms.

If he dug his arms into the loose rock and pulled his way up, then he'd have the leverage he needed. But pushing his arms into these loose volcanic rocks will be like pushing them into shards of broken glass. It will hurt like hell, but he can't see any other option. Chris reaches up, grits his teeth, and slowly pushes his right arm into the razor-sharp mass of rocks above him.

He can feel the rocks slicing into his skin as he digs his arm in up to the elbow. The pain makes him dizzy, but it's working. Once his arm is secure inside the rocks, he pulls himself up and jams his left arm into the rocks, higher up the sheer face of the crater. He winces in agony as the volcanic glass punctures his skin, but he can feel that the rocks are supporting his weight.

With one final, mighty push, Chris uses his forearms to lift himself up and hoists his leg over the lip of the crater. Then, gasping in pain, he gingerly extracts his bleeding arms from the jagged wall of volcanic rock and flips himself up and over the rim. He rolls onto his back,

and lays there, struggling to catch his breath. As the wind howls and the rain splashes on his face, he realizes he made it. He escaped the volcano. He stands up, unsteady on his feet. He has to pull Mike to safety. He sees a long coil of thick rope lying nearby. The rescue workers must have left it behind. He tries to pick it up,

But it's a long, heavy coil, and he struggles under its weight. A day and a half on that ledge, breathing in toxic fumes has sapped his strength. Chris realizes even if he threw the rope down, he's too weak to pull Mike up. There's no way he can do this alone. If he's going to save his friend, he's going to have to find help. Laura Viederman steps out of the rain and into the main tent at the production base camp.

Outside, the camp is teeming with rescue workers, police, and news crews. Laura is at the end of her patience. Moments ago, she got the news that the rescue operation was being paused until the following morning. Sure, the storm is bad, but she can't believe it's taking this long to bring Chris and Mike to safety. ♪

She picks up the phone to update the production team at the Paramount lot in Hollywood. A producer in L.A. has news for her. Some stuntmen working on the film have come up with a plan to rescue Chris and Mike. If we could run a cable across the rim, they say they could lower themselves into the crater and lift our guys out. Laura can't believe her ears. Listen, we don't have time to play Indiana Jones with the stunt guys. Did you put together that list of chopper pilots? Yeah. Yeah.

I'll fax it right over. Laura hangs up and watches as the fax machine springs to life. She scans the list of names. She needs someone willing to do whatever it takes to bring her crew to safety. Chris runs across an endless field of jagged black lava rock.

Even though he's finally out of the crater, he still feels like he's in hell. The cooled lava flows stretched the horizon like a frozen jet black sea.

Chris doesn't know where he is or how far he'll have to go before he spots another human, but he's charged with adrenaline and hopes he's moving in the direction of the base camp. He soon spots a few dots of color in the black landscape, a row of orange safety cones. Chris guesses they must be there to mark the path the rescue workers were taking to the rim. His whole body hurts. The rain continues to pour.

He struggles to stay on his feet as he trips over rocks in the fading light. Through the rain, he sees a triangular shape on the horizon. As he runs closer, he realizes it's a tent. This must be the base of the rescue operation. Hey, help! With his last ounce of strength, he pushes himself through the tent flaps and staggers inside. But there's nobody there. I can't believe this.

Chris starts searching through his tent. In a supply box, he finds a few bottles of water. He hasn't drunk any in two days. Racked with thirst, Chris grabs it and gulps the water down, only to spit it out. His throat is so swollen from exposure to the sulfuric fumes that he can't even swallow. In the corner of the tent, Chris spots an oxygen tank.

He puts the mask on his face, twists the valve open, and breathes in deeply. After more than a day of inhaling sulfur, the pure oxygen is invigorating. He can feel his lungs opening up again. Then, he hears a welcome sound outside. He stumbles out of the tent and looks up. It's a park ranger chopper.

flying below the worst of the storm clouds. Chris waves his arms and shouts, "Hey! Over here! Over here!" The chopper circles back and touches down on the rocky expanse. Two rangers, their faces a mix of shock and relief, leap out and run to Chris. The moment the ranger's taken by the arm, Chris collapses.

Thirty hours of exhaustion and pain and toxic fumes finally catch up with him. The Rangers carry him into the chopper. As they lay him down inside, Chris grabs one of the Rangers by the sleeve. "We have to go back for Mike." "No, we have to get you to a doctor." "I know where he is. There's a rope."

I'm sorry. Everyone's been ordered to stay off the crater for now. The ranger says they'll send someone on foot to drop a survival pack with food, water, and blankets to Mike. It's the best they can do. As the chopper carries him away, Chris looks back at the crater. He can't believe his friend will be trapped down there for another night, braving the elements in the depths of a volcano alone.

This season, Instacart has your back-to-school. As in, they've got your back-to-school lunch favorites, like snack packs and fresh fruit. And they've got your back-to-school supplies, like backpacks, binders, and pencils. And they've got your back when your kid casually tells you they have a huge school project due tomorrow.

Let's face it, we were all that kid. So first call your parents to say I'm sorry, and then download the Instacart app to get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes all school year long. Get a $0 delivery fee for your first three orders while supplies last. Minimum $10 per order. Additional terms apply. Mike Benson runs his hands along the rocky wall of the crater where he scratched out a message to his wife. Dear Stephanie, I love you.

The dark of night is starting to close in around him.

He can't believe that he's about to spend his second night inside the crater. He hasn't had any food or water in over 36 hours. He hasn't slept either, and the thick volcanic steam keeps swirling around him, filling his lungs with poison. He can feel his brain getting foggier. When he wrote the message to his wife less than an hour ago, he struggled to find those five simple words. Dear Stephanie...

I love you. It's getting harder to hold it together. He hears lava flowing and bubbling below the surface, like blood running through the veins of the volcano. In every direction, he hears rocks falling. It's starting to feel inevitable that eventually he'll be crushed by one. And where's Chris? It's been at least an hour since he last heard his voice calling down from above.

The last thing Chris said was that he was going to try and climb out. Did he make it? Or is he stuck on a ledge even higher up the crater wall, too far away to be heard? "Chris? You up there, buddy?" There's no reply. Mike gazes out into the center of the crater. The thick, swirling steam flickers with orange and red light. It's a horrific scene, but strangely hypnotic.

Then he notices a shape forming in the haze. It's a woman floating in the air about 20 feet in front of him. The lava pool below casts a soft orange light on her skin. Her long hair trails gracefully behind her as she glides slowly through the thick steam. Then she stops and turns her glowing red eyes towards Mike.

He recognizes her. It's Madame Pele, goddess of the volcano. He shouts at her. "No! You can't have me!" Her eyes grow brighter as she continues to stare, but he refuses to give in to her. "I'm not ready to go!" The light flares. She's gone. Mike feels his heart pounding in his chest. His rational mind knows he must be hallucinating, and yet,

It felt so real. Even now, he can still sense Madame Pele's presence. She's watching him, waiting to take him. But he won't give in that easily. He sits back against the rock wall and braces himself for another long night.

Chris Duddy stares out the open door of the Ranger helicopter as it lowers onto the road next to the production base camp for their film Sliver. He's stunned by what he sees. Fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, and news vans are parked everywhere. The camp's dirt lot is swarming with people. Chris turns to a Ranger sitting in the helicopter beside him. What's happening here?

Chris learns that the story of the crash has made national news. Trapped and isolated inside the crater, he had no idea that the eyes of the world were trained on him, and that such a massive rescue operation was underway.

The park rangers help Chris step down onto the road, his legs wobbling from fatigue. He sees a group of rescue workers and EMTs approaching as photographers and TV cameras capture the scene. But there's one face in the group that he's especially happy to see. It's Craig Hosking, the pilot of the crashed helicopter. Chris wraps his arms around Craig, overwhelmed by joy and disbelief. I can't believe it.

You made it out. That's right. And so did you.

Come on, I gotta get you to a hospital. Craig and another man grab Chris's arms. Chris leans on their shoulders as he shuffles slowly towards the waiting ambulance. The brutal ordeal of the past 36 hours weighs heavily on his every step. Chris stops and turns to Craig. Wait, wait, wait! We gotta send a pilot to get Mike, now! I laid a rope on the edge of the crater to mark the spot. Mike's right down below it.

Chris, I'd fly in there myself, but they're not letting anyone go out there till the morning. Not in this weather. Chris lowers his head. He feels a sharp pain in his stomach as he pictures Mike on his own down there, starving, struggling to breathe.

Craig squeezes his shoulder. Listen, I talked to Laura Viedermann. She's putting calls out to the best pilots on the islands. We're going to get Mike out of there soon. I promise. Chris nods. He's not surprised to hear that his producer is on top of it. But if they can't get Mike out of the crater until morning, he wonders if they'll be too late.

Mike Benson cranes his neck and squints through the fumes. He can hear the sound of a helicopter above him. At least he thinks that's what he's hearing. After spending a second night in the crater, he's exhausted and lightheaded. He knows that he could be hallucinating. The sound of the helicopter bounces around against the crater walls. Between that and the veil of steam, it's hard to place where the noise is coming from exactly.

Mike slowly scans the morning sky and then sees something emerge from the haze. Something that makes his heart leap.

It's a net shaped like a stretcher swinging on the end of a cable. Mike recognizes that it's a rescue basket. There actually is a helicopter above him, even if he can't see it through the steam. The basket swings back and forth like a pendulum. It's no more than 15 feet away and swinging closer every second. Mike stretches his arm out to try and grab it.

Come on, come on, this way! He reaches out again, but it's still too far away. A frightening thought begins to dawn on him. He might have to jump for it.

He looks down the wall of the crater. If he missed the basket, he'd have a long fall onto the sharp rocks below. The height is hard to judge, but it's got to be at least 100 feet. It's hard to imagine he'd survive the fall. Mike looks up again and trains his eyes on the swinging basket. He decides it's now or never. He jumps off his rocky ledge into the open air and lands square in the basket.

His hands grip the net tightly as he swings back and forth through the thick clouds of sulfur, and then he feels himself being pulled upward. The basket emerges from the steam, and for the first time in two days, Mike is able to see far into the distance. Below him, the dark cauldron of Pu'u O'o. In the distance, the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean

And above him, the helicopter that saved his life. Mike closes his eyes. He's finally free. He breathes the fresh air and recalls his haunting vision from the night before. He looks back down at the massive crater that was his prison for the past two days. You didn't get me, Madame Pele. If the great Hawaiian goddess hears him, she doesn't reply.

Chris Duddy, Mike Benson, and Craig Hosking were reunited at the hospital shortly after Mike's rescue. Despite their prolonged exposure to the toxic fumes, they spent only a few days there. None of them suffered permanent lung damage, but Chris says that for months after getting rescued, he could taste sulfur every time he coughed.

Researchers believe no one in modern history had ever breathed in volcanic gas as long as Chris and Mike did during their ordeal. Doctors asked them to stay on the island for another week so that their condition could be studied. A week after the rescue, a cargo helicopter was sent to airlift Craig's Down Chopper out of the crater. The rotor that snapped off in the crash was never found.

The footage Chris and Mike shot for Sliver was never recovered either. Instead, the climactic scene at the volcano was created entirely with special effects and stock footage. During advanced screenings of the film, the scene tested so badly with audiences that it was ultimately cut. Chris Duddy, Mike Benson, and Laura Wiederman have all continued to work in the film industry.

Craig Hosking has helped deliver aerial footage for more than 150 feature films. Recently, Chris served as director of photography for the reboot of the TV crime drama Magnum P.I. The show was shot in Hawaii on the island of Oahu.

Despite the trauma he endured there, Chris has returned to Hawaii many times. It's a place of spiritual importance for him. He imagines it's where he'll retire.

It's been nearly 30 years since their helicopter crashed inside the Kilauea volcano. On our next episode, we'll talk with Christopher Duddy, the cameraman who climbed his way out of the crater. We'll hear firsthand how he survived the ordeal and how the experience changed his life.

This has been the second episode of our two-part series, Crash in a Volcano. A quick note about our scenes. In most cases, we can't exactly know what was said, but everything is based on historical research. I'm your host, Mike Corey. Eric Trueheart wrote this episode. Our editor is Sean Raviv.

Additional editing by Jennifer Klein. Our audio engineer is Sergio Enriquez. Sound design is by Joe Richardson. Our script consultant is Christopher Duddy.

Welcome to the Offensive Line. You guys, on this podcast, we're going to make some picks, talk some s**t, and hopefully make you some money in the process. I'm your host, Annie Agar.

So here's how this show is going to work, okay? We're going to run through the weekly slate of NFL and college football matchups, breaking them down into very serious categories like No offense. No offense, Travis Kelsey, but you got to step up your game if Pat Mahomes is saying the Chiefs need to have more fun this year. We're also handing out a series of awards and making picks for the top storylines surrounding the world of football. Awards like the He May Have a Point Award for the wide receiver that's most justifiably bitter.

Is it Brandon Ayuk, Tee Higgins, or Devontae Adams? Plus, on Thursdays, we're doing an exclusive bonus episode on Wondery Plus, where I share my fantasy football picks ahead of Thursday night football and the weekend's matchups. Your fantasy league is as good as locked in. Follow the offensive line on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can access bonus episodes and listen ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus.