Hawaii man found dead after falling into tube formed by lava

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii police say a man who had been missing for several days was found dead in an underground tube formed by lava.

Police say it appears the man accidentally fell into the tube through a soft area on his property in Hilo on the Big Island.

Lava tubes are formed where lava once flowed and then hardened.

Firefighters responded to a report Monday about the missing man. They rappelled into the lava tube and found his body about 22 feet (6.7 meters) down.

He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His name hasn’t been released.