Cause of death
in lava field
remains unknown

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Associated Press

VOLCANO >> Preliminary autopsy results have failed to identify the cause of death of a Florida woman whose body was found last week on a lava flow in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, authorities said.

An autopsy was performed Friday by the Honolulu medical examiner, but further testing will be required, Park Ranger Mardie Lane said Monday.

She said authorities do not believe foul play was involved in the death of Jacqueline Gast, 45, of Fort Myers, Fla., who had arrived on the Big Island as a passenger on the Norwegian Star cruise ship. A hiker discovered her body early Oct. 15 about 50 yards past the end of the Chain of Craters Road.

Gast had gone to the area the previous morning to view active lava flows, but failed to return to the van and its 10 other cruise ship passengers before it had to return to Hilo.

Gast's husband, John, had been on a different tour and did not know his wife had failed to return to the ship until five hours after it had left Hilo early Monday afternoon.

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park