‘Terrifying’: Skier recalls horror after surviving fall into volcanic vent in Oregon
Caroline Sundbaum managed to survive a horrific incident and walk away practically unscathed after falling into the vent of an active volcano while skiing on Oregon's Mount Hood.
The 35-year-old was skiing with her husband when she suddenly fell into a fumarole, a vent in the side of a volcano, which was hidden beneath the snow.
“The sensation was like someone pulling a chair out from underneath you,” she said.
“I was terrified – very concerned that the snow was going to fall on me and suffocate me.”
A bystander who saw Sundbaum’s fall rushed to help rescue her, using a rope he was carrying to pull her out.
Local authorities said she was lucky to be pulled out quickly, as fumaroles emit steam and gases that can be toxic.
Sundbaum escaped with just a dislocated shoulder after the incident, which could have ended in tragedy.
