Two men die ‘from lightning blast’ after hiking up a volcano to see it erupt on French island of La Reunion
- Two bodies were found at the Piton de la Fournaise in the Indian Ocean
- The victims were science and technology students at the Academy of Reunion
- Police suspect they were hit by lightning or killed by the blast of a shock wave
Two students were found dead on Thursday in a suspected 'lightning blast' after hiking up a volcano on a French island in the Indian Ocean to see it erupt.
Police say the blast of a lightning strike might have killed the two men, whose bodies were found near the 'eruption cone' of Piton de la Fournaise on the French overseas territory of La Reunion.
The two men, both in their 20s, had set out on a walking trip on the volcano in the southeast of the island but were found dead in the volcano's main caldera, the hollow formed after magma erupts.
The hikers had wanted to see the Piton de la Fournaise (above) erupt, but might have been struck by lightning. (file image)
The Piton de la Fournaise is on the island of La Reunion, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean.
The victims have only been identified as students at the Faculty of Science and Technology at the Academy of Reunion.
Police suspect the students might have been killed by a lightning strike given that their hair and soles were burnt, or by a 'blast effect', where a shock wave causes internal lesions in the body, according to Zinfos974.
'We were informed at 4/5 pm that the two young people had not returned', said Lieutenant Stéphane Narbaud, commander of the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon.
The students were found dead near the 'eruption cone' of the volcano on La Reunion (file image of Piton de la Fournaise)
The commander said they mobilized four personnel by land and two volunteers familiar with the area by air, along with two other personnel 'who flew over the eruptive cone despite very difficult conditions'.
'An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. Forensic scientists will focus on knowing how they died and the dating of their deaths', said public prosecutor Caroline Calbo.
Commander Narbaud warned hikers to stay away from the volcano.
'Do not take the risk of going into the enclosure. You see the risks, unfortunately', he said.
'There is no path, there is fog. Only scientists from the Observatory are equipped to approach an eruptive mouth.'
Police warn hikers to stay away from the volcano after the death of two students (file image shows lava erupting from Piton de la Fournaise)
Most watched News videos
- The Queen's hilarious reactions at Platinum Jubilee celebration
- Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr pay off graduates student debt
- Vladimir Putin fidgets his feet sparking more health rumours
- POV view of Ukrainian soldier's battle for Kharkiv
- Queen tops up her Oyster as she officially opens Elizabeth Line
- Jamie Vardy makes first appearance at the Wagatha Christie trial
- Transfer of military equipment in Estonia ahead of 'Hedgehog 2022'
- Queen enjoys a night of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations at Windsor
- Wounded Ukrainian soldiers evacuated from Azovstal steel plant
- Putin's seven Iskander missiles on the way to Finnish border
- Teen jumps red light and ploughs into kids sending them flying
- Jamie and Rebekah Vardy leave £3M Wagatha Christie trial early