Hikers climbing 'death trail' run down side of volcano as thick ash and rock erupts

Footage circulating on social media captures the terrifying moment hikers run for their lives as a volcano erupts beneath them. The footage shows the group of hikers mere metres from the crater of a volcano in Santiaguito, Guatemala when it erupted this week. A massive cloud of ash can be seen shooting up from the ground as rocks and debris are tossed around. A separate video capture from some distance away showed some of the hikers running down the hillside as rocks rain down . One can be seen falling to the round as the group rushed away. The hikers were climbing a route nicknamed “the death trail", the Sun reported. The climb is considered extremely dangerous, with the volcano being one of the most active in Central America. It is understood that the ascent of the Santiaguito volcano is prohibited by authorities. ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that hikers routinely ignore the restrictions. Social media users on platform X shared their views of the incident. One X user wrote: "This is why you stay away from active craters. Imagine being in their shoes right now... what’s your first move?" Another said: "Volcano don't send warning text. One minute you're posing, next you're running from hot rocks'.