By Tim Binnall
A curious chasm in Yemen, dubbed the 'Well from Hell,' has finally been explored by cavers in what is thought to be the first documented expedition down into the centuries-old hole in the desert. Although the location had something of a fearsome reputation among local inhabitants of the area, due to longstanding legends suggesting that the puzzling pit was home to the infamous djinn, it largely came to the attention of the world at large back in June by way of media coverage detailing how authorities in the country were baffled by the strange site and that previous attempts to get to the bottom of the pit had failed. It would seem that those headlines caught the attention of a group of cavers who set about conquering the chasm once and for all.
Last week, eight members of the Oman Cave Exploration Team (OCET) reportedly descended into the 'Well from Hell' and captured breathtaking never-before-seen footage from inside the ominous pit. According to geology professor Mohammed al-Kindi, who participated in the investigation, at the bottom of the cavern they spotted snakes that were largely harmless as well as dead birds and formations known as cave pearls. "Passion drove us to do this," he explained, "and we felt that this is something that will reveal a new wonder and part of Yemeni history." While down in the pit, the cavers collected samples of the water, rocks, and the downed birds that will later be analyzed by scientists.