US man jumps to his death in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

  • Published
Leo AdonisImage source, Family photo
Image caption,

Leo Adonis had recently lost his job working for Whole Foods in California

A US man killed himself by jumping into a Hawaii volcano, say park officials.

A helicopter recovered the man's body on Sunday from a part of the Kilauea caldera that is not currently erupting, a day after his fall, said a Hawaii Volcanoes National Park spokeswoman.

The man, named by family members as Leo Adonis, 38, left a note in his backpack which was found by hikers near the Crater Rim Trail.

The man's father plans to cremate his son and spread the ashes in Hawaii.

John Michael Ure, the man's father, told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, external his son had recently lost his job working for Whole Foods in San Rafael, California.

His son, who legally changed his name in 2016, had "some emotional issues the last four to five years, and we'd been quite worried about it", he told the newspaper.

He added that Mr Adonis "really loved Hawaii".

Five other visitors have died in areas marked off limits in Volcanoes National Park since 1990, according to the New York Daily News.

Where to get help

If you are depressed and need to ask for help, there's advice on who to contact at BBC Advice.

From Canada or US: If you're in an emergency, please call 911. If you or someone you know is suffering with mental-health issues, call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868. If you're in the US, you can text HOME to 741741

From UK: Call Samaritans on 116123 or Childline on 0800 1111

Image source, NPS
Image caption,

The Kilauea caldera, nearby to the site where the body was recovered