Taking a selfie is easy. We just stretch our arm, take a step back and strike a pose. What happens if you wear a heat suit, the acid rain opens holes on plastic and when you take a step back, you fall into an abyss of burning lava? That’s what it must have felt like for George Kourounis, a Canadian adventurer and storm chaser of Greek origin, who specializes in documenting extreme weather and worldwide natural disasters.

In late August, Kourounis descended into an active crater of the Marum volcano on Ambrym Island in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific Ocean. The explorer documented his experience and uploaded his video in September, which soon went viral.

After descending 365 metres within the crater, Kourounis said that "the moment was spectacular. At this point you can see one of only five lava lakes existing in the world. The depth compares with climbing Mt Everest. […] The heat is unbearable, the ground is shaky and the acid rain is so corrosive, it is like having a car battery hitting you. Words cannot express the power and awe you feel from standing so close to burning lava. It was an amazing experience."