HILO, Hawaii (AP) - A French tour guide is facing up to six months in jail for allegedly trying to take a tour group into the closed area of the erupting Kilauea volcano’s Halemaumau Crater.
The National Park Service on Wednesday spotted the group of 14 people trying to visit Halemaumau Crater. Members of the tour group were cited for violation of closure, which carries a $100 penalty.
The tour guide must make a mandatory court appearance and faces a maximum penalty of $5,000 and six months in jail.
“This is a serious violation,” said Chief Ranger John Broward, in a news release. “Areas surrounding Halemaumau Crater are closed because of extremely hazardous volcanic conditions that include high concentrations of toxic gases and particulates, ongoing volcanic explosions and frequent collapses of the crater walls.”
The tour guide was affiliated with the French tour company Aventure et Volcans. The tour group’s website advertises a night hike to observe the lava at Halemaumau. Photos on the tour company’s website show visitors on the edge of Halemaumau Crater wearing respirators.
Halemaumau Crater has been closed since the most recent summit eruption began in 2008.
Since July 2016, rangers have issued 35 citations for closure violations at Halemaumau and nearly 100 citations at Kamokuna.
“Visitors need to be aware that, while much of the attention lately has been on the hazards of the 61g ocean entry at Kamokuna, the park staff remains very concerned about the ongoing hazards in the vicinity of Halemaumau,” Broward said. “Rangers will continue to monitor and take appropriate action to reduce the occurrence of risky behavior in both areas.”
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