Yes, suicide by volcano is a real thing. In fact, more than 2,000 people have committed suicide by leaping into the crater of Mount Mihara in Japan. You might be wondering how you would die if you fell into a volcano. Would you sink and drown in the lava or get burned to death on the surface before you could go under? Either way, it doesn’t sound pleasant, but drowning isn’t likely. First, you have to understand the difference between magma and lava. Magma is molten rock beneath the earth’s surface, while lava is magma that has come to the surface, usually through eruption. If you fall into a volcano, it’s magma that’s your problem. The chances are high that you would burst into flames when you hit the magma’s surface. Of course, you might also burn before you hit the magma, due to the radiant heat. Then there’s the possibility that you could asphyxiate or have your lungs burned up due to the hot air and gases above the surface of the lake. Anyway you look at it, if you fall into a volcano, you’re not coming back. That’s why officials in Japan have installed a fence around Mount Mihara to discourage suicide by volcano.
