What explorers discovered when they first descended into Yemen’s “pit of hell”

A team of Omani cavers carried out what is believed to be the first descent to the bottom of the legendary well of Barhout (or “hell pit”) in Yemen, a natural wonder rejected by many locals, who believe it to be a prison for the spirits.

The imposing “Well of Hell”, whose round, dark opening creates a 30-meter-wide hole in the desert floor of the eastern province of Al-Mahra, in Yemen, it sinks about 112 meters below the surface and, according to some accounts, gives off strange smells.

Inside, the Oman Cave Exploration Team (OCET) He found snakes, dead animals, and pearls in the cave, but there was no sign of anything supernatural.

“There were snakes, but they won’t bother you unless you bother them.”Mohammed al-Kindi, professor of geology at the German University of Technology in Oman, told AFP.

Kindi was one of eight experienced cavers who rappelled down last week, while two colleagues remained on the surface.

Images provided to AFP showed gray and lime green pearl and cave formations, formed by drops of water.

“Passion drove us to do it, and we believe it is something that will reveal a new wonder and part of Yemen’s history.”said Kindi, who also owns an oil and mining consultancy firm.

“We have collected samples of water, rocks, soil and a few dead animals, but we have not yet analyzed them”he said, adding that a report will be released soon.

“There were dead birds, which creates bad odors, but there was no overwhelming bad smell,” projection.

Yemeni officials said they did not know what was deep in the well, which they believed to be “Millions and millions” of years, adding that they had never reached bottom.

“We went to visit the area and entered the well, reaching more than 50-60 meters deep”said at the time Salah Babhair, director general of the Mahra Geological Studies and Mineral Resources Authority.

“We noticed some strange things inside. We also felt something strange … It’s a mysterious situation “, he stressed.

Over the centuries, Stories have circulated of evil characters known as genies or spirits who live in the well, which some consider to be the gate to hell.

Many locals are eager to visit or even talk about the vast well, fearing bad luck and Yemenis have already had enough bad luck.

The country has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014 that sparked what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with two-thirds of its 30 million people dependent on some form of aid.

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