International: A former military pilot Sebastian Alvarez successfully flies into an active volcano in Chile, in a wingsuit. Villarrica is one of Chile's most active volcanoes, rising above the lake and town of the same name, 750 kilometres south of Santiago. It is also known as Rucapillán, a Mapuche word meaning "great spirit's house."

Villarrica, with its lava of basaltic-andesitic composition, is one of a small number worldwide known to have an active lava lake within its crater. Rainfall plus melted snow and glacier ice can cause massive lahars,mud and debris flows. The current eruption period began in December 2014 and more recently has been characterized by summit crater incandescence, pyroclasts, lava flows, Strombolian explosions, and ash emissions. The Villarrica volcano is one of nine volcanoes currently monitored by the Deep Earth Carbon Degassing Project.

Wingsuit pilot Sebastian Alvarez became the first person ever to fly in and out of an active volcano. The 36-year-old former military pilot performed the feat in the Villarica Volcano in his native Chile after a year's preparation, which involved learning all he could about the smoke columns, the air pressure and the speed of the wind.

He also had to perform numerous calculations to ensure he would be able to successfully navigate in and out of the huge crater, which has a diameter of more than 200 metres, at incredibly high speed.

When the conditions were perfect and the go ahead for the jump was given, Alvarez had to ensure his flight direction and speed were just right as he jumped from the helicopter.

He then performed a suit flare manoeuvre, allowing him to descend close to 10 metres inside the volcano before exiting at a speed of 180 kilometres per hour.