Episode details

World Service,27 Jul 2026,40 mins

I crash-landed inside an active volcano

Lives Less Ordinary

Available for over a year

Chris Duddy survived 28 hours in Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano after his helicopter crashed. Cinematographer Chris Duddy has worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies like Titanic and Terminator 2. Filming in extreme conditions is part of his job, and he loves it, but nothing could prepare him for the day the helicopter he was in crashed inside the crater of an active volcano. It was November 1992 and he was flying over the Big Island of Hawaii shooting footage for the end of the Hollywood thriller Sliver. The shot involved flying over the active Kīlauea volcano, but during filming the helicopter suffered total engine failure and crash-landed inside the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent of the volcano. Chris, along with his director of photography Mike Benson and the pilot Craig Hosking, were trapped there – 300 feet down and perilously close to a lava pool. Choking on toxic fumes and enduring bizarrely freezing temperatures when the weather closed in, Chris had to spend an entire night in the volcano, and the next day decided his only option was to climb out of the crater to escape. Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: June Christie Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

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