Nik Wallenda successfully crosses volcano, wearing safety harness
Wednesday night, Nik Wallenda became the first to traverse an active volcano on a high-wire with his 1,800-foot walk over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua. The walk took 31 minutes and required an air filter and protective goggles.
ABC televised the 41-year-old aerialist’s antics live in a two-hour special.
The wire walk was Wallenda’s longest and highest to date.
»PREVIOUS: Nik Wallenda to attempt 1,800-foot tightrope walk over active volcano
At some points during the walk, he vanished from cameras into the volcanic clouds, his progress monitored on a split-screen thermal camera.
Here for these absolutely incredible views over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua where @NikWallenda will walk LIVE on ABC 1800 ft above this active lava. #VolcanoLivewithNikWallenda pic.twitter.com/SJav66UAHU
— ABC (@ABCNetwork) March 3, 2020
Masaya’s churning lava lake didn’t deter him from removing his goggles halfway through to peek into the mouth of one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
"I absolutely will look down," Wallenda told ABC prior to the walk. "It's more about this beautiful piece of nature."
Wallenda’s wife, Erendira, performed the opening act with aerial stunts using her hoop, right over the “mouth of hell.” During the performance, she took off her mask to hang by her teeth.
A half hour later, the couple was reunited on the other side of the volcano's mouth in a sweaty hug. Wallenda said he was "relieved" to be across the wire, after unpredictable wind gusts in the middle of crossing, according to CBS.
There's no better feeling than wrapping your arms around your family after a moment like that! #VolcanoLivewithNikWallenda pic.twitter.com/3XlVwn3zgb
— Nik Wallenda (@NikWallenda) March 5, 2020
Many fans took offense about Wallenda’s use of a safety harness. “I thought this was supposed to be risky and suspenseful,” one tweeted.
Wait, so #nikwallenda has a safety harness connected to another wire? C'mon on man, I thought this was supposed to be risky and suspenseful
— Jeremy Cabler (@JeremyCabler) March 5, 2020
Wait, so Nik Wallenda is actually in a harness up there? What’s the real danger if he’s got on a mask, goggles, and can’t fall. Still very impressive to tightrope walk, but the hype has been real for the “danger”. #VolcanoLive
— Beth Carpenter | TDS Weather (@B_Carp01) March 5, 2020
“Yeah, there’s a harness, but I think y’all forget that this isn’t about the harness for Nik Wallenda,” commented another. “The walk & all of the others are about Nik overcoming his fears & having the strength to make it across without slipping & withstanding the heat & wind.”
Yeah, there’s a harness, but I think y’all forget that this isn’t about the harness for Nik Wallenda. The walk & all of the others are about Nik overcoming his fears & having the strength to make it across without slipping & withstanding the heat & wind. #VolcanoLive
— Marcus (@MarcusUntrell92) March 5, 2020
According to a New York Post article, ABC required he use safety gear for the live televised event. Wallenda also wore a harness in his televised 2019 Times Square wirewalk stunt.
