A MYSTERIOUS crater eerily dubbed “the Gates of Hell” might not be so scary anymore as its infernal flames are finally dying out.
The fiery Darvaza gas crater is located in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, and has been spewing “devil’s breath” fire for decades on end.
But now it looks like the crater might not last much longer—at least not in its flaming state.
The Turkmenistan government has often raised the prospect of possibly sealing the blazing furnace, CNN reports.
In the meantime, long-time visitors to Darvaza report that the 1000-degree inferno is significantly smaller now than it once was.
Dylan Lupine, one of the pioneers of tourism to Turkmenistan with his UK-based company Lupine Travel, said: “I would say it’s only burning at around 40% of the level I first witnessed there in 2009.”
“A much larger area of the crater had flames burning in it back then. There are less now, and they are not as high as they were.”
Another local guide told CNN Travel that devilish flames have been decreasing over the course of the last seven years and his 40 visits to Darvaza.
He said: “Before there were more flames than now, probably because the gas pocket is wearing out.”
The Darvaza gas crater is a natural gas field that has been burning continuously for more than half a century.
Located in the Karakum Desert, about 260 kilometres north of the capital Ashgabat, this fiery crater is one of the most unusual and eerie sites on the planet.
It is understood the “Gates to Hell” was created during a Soviet drilling operation in 1971.
Geologists were searching for natural gas deposits when their equipment struck a cavern filled with gas.
The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole about 230 feet in diameter and 65 feet deep.
Fearing the spread of methane, the scientists decided to set the gas on fire, thinking it would burn off in a few weeks.
But the devilish flames have been burning ever since, fuelled by the natural gas reserves in the area.
The crater emits a continuous stream of fire, with bright orange and red hues, which become especially dramatic at night.
The heat from the flames is intense, and the sight of this monstrous flame pit in the middle of the desert is otherworldly, contributing to its ominous nickname.
Animals also sadly fall into the hole and meet a grisly end.
Despite its remote location, the “Gates of Hell” has become a popular tourist attraction.
Adventurers and curious travellers visit the site, drawn by the spectacle of the “never-ending” fire.
Nobody had ever dreamt of venturing into the blazing crater, until George Kourounis’ expedition.
The fearless explorer was the first person to descend into the “Gates of Hell”, and discovered something which could help prove the existence of aliens.
Jaw-dropping images of George rappelling 100ft down into the 1000C inferno were released last year.
The Canadian could be seen dangling above molten rocks spewing hot gases while he descends into the blazing furnace dressed in a protective silver suit.
The intention of his 2013 trip to hell and back was to gather more information about extreme environments.
George said: “The most important part of the mission and the whole thrust behind this entire expedition was to take some samples of the soil at the bottom—sand, basically—and see if there is any extremophile bacteria living at the bottom that could give us clues to basically life in these extreme environments.”
He added: “There are planets that have been discovered outside of our solar system that have a very hot, methane-rich environment kind of similar to what is in the crater.
“So, in essence, we were looking for alien life right here on Earth.”
