Inside the Volcano: Michael Benson's Story

Inside the Volcano: Michael Benson's Story — page 1
INTO THE KĪ LAUEA VOLCANO It is November 21 1992 A helicopter flies toward the Kīlauea volcano on the island of Hawaii The pilot Craig Hosking is flying the helicopter His passengers are cameraman Michael Benson and Michael’s assistant Chris Duddy They plan to fly over a part of Kīlauea known as the Pu’u O’o crater This crater has been erupting since the mid-1980s Michael is currently filming for a movie For the movie’s final scenes he wants footage of the lava inside the Pu’u O’o crater But before flying over Kīlauea there is something the crew of the helicopter must do Why are we doing this again It’s an offering to Pele to keep her happy And to keep us safe In Hawaiian legends Pele is the goddess of volcanoes It is tradition to offer her gifts in exchange for safety 4