Video Shows Daredevils Descending Into Active Volcano’s Crater

Sam Cossman’s video is heating up the Internet.

— -- Sam Cossman’s video is heating up the Internet.

"I’m always interested in challenging myself in new ways and this was something that I came across on the Internet and I just wanted to put a plan in place and make it happen," he said. "I was really excited to be able to do that."

The video shows violent waves of lava spewing fiery rocks at the climbers’ feet.

"It’s quite volatile and it kind of ebbs and it flows and it very much takes the form of what looks like water actually," Cossman said.

"Even with the suit on, you can sit there for a max of about five seconds or so before it’s just unbearable and you have to kind of take a breather and step back by about 20 feet or so," Cossman said of the heat.

"While you’re looking into the crater it’s about 2000 degrees and there’s just waves of heat hitting you and melting camera gear and melting pretty much anything that the heat comes in contact with," he said. "It’s a very extreme place."

The video was posted to YouTube last Thursday. It had been viewed more than 1.7 million times as of Monday night.