Man 'dissolved' in Yellowstone hot spring

The body of a man who fell into a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park in June most probably "dissolved" before rescuers were able to retrieve it, according to a recently released report.

Officials say the victim, 23-year-old Colin Scott, died during an illegal attempt to "hot pot", or bathe in the park's thermal pools.

Scott, who was from Oregon, was visiting the 2.2-million-acre park with his sister, Sable, when the pair left a marked trail in search of a pool to bathe in.

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Deputy ranger Lorant Vuress told KULR-8 News that the area was closed off to protect the fragile ecosystem and to ensure visitors' safety in what he called "a very unforgiving environment".

Scott's sister told officials that he was trying to test the water temperature when he slipped and fell into the 10ft-deep pool.

A National Parks Service report into the death says that she had been filming their journey on her mobile phone and captured the moment her brother fell into the pool. The unreleased video "also chronicled Sable Scott's efforts to rescue her brother", according to CBS.

When rescue teams arrived, they located Scott's body in the acidic pool, but "abandoned attempts to retrieve it due to the decreasing light available, the danger to themselves and an approaching lightning storm", the BBC says.

According to the report, rescuers declared Scott dead after observing "a lack of movement, suspected extreme temperatures, and indications of several thermal burns".

When they returned the following day, they were unable to locate any significant part of the victim's body.

"In a very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving," said the deputy ranger.

Water temperatures at the basin "typically reach 199F (93C)", The Guardian reports. During attempts to recover the body, "rescuers recorded a temperature of 212F (100C), at which point water begins to boil".