Trek to 'Into the Wild' magic bus claims life of tourist

Into the Wild: The bus has become a pilgrimage spot for fans of the book and feature film. Photo / Getty Images

A woman has died trying to get to the "magic bus" that was featured in the book and film Into the Wild.

McCandless, who hiked into the Alaska wilderness in April 1992 perished there in late August, apparently poisoned by wild seeds that left him unable to metabolise what little food he had.

Sean Penn's movie Into the Wild and Jon Krakauer's book of the same title has caused people from around the world to retrace McCandless's steps to the broken down, rusting, lopsided 1940s International Harvester bus which sits near the tiny town of Healy, Alaska.

McCandless's body was found in the abandoned bus four months after he had set off on his hike.

The latest casualty of the "magic bus" pilgrimage is a newlywed woman from Belarus who was swept away when crossing a river to get to the bus.

Christopher McCandless met his death in 1992, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported.

Alaska's Denali National Park in which Christopher McCandless tried to survive in 'the wild'. Photo / Getty Images

Veramika Maikamava, 24, and her husband, Piotr Markielau, also 24, were heading for the bus where hiker

Markielau called troopers in Fairbanks late Thursday to report his wife's death during a hike, Alaska State Troopers said.

The bus has been the source of multiple rescues since it was made famous, first by Jon Krakauer's book published in 1996 and then by Sean Penn's 2007 film.

Both chronicled the life and death of McCandless, who hiked into the Alaska wilderness with little food and equipment and spent the summer living in the bus.

The couple was trying to cross the Teklanika River along the Stampede Trail near Healy when the woman was swept under water, the troopers said.

Magic Bus: An aerial photo of the bus along the stampede trail. Photo / Supplied, Denali National Park

The river was flowing high and fast because of recent rains.

Markielau reported he was able to pull his wife out of the water a short distance away downriver, but she had died by then, the troopers said.

The body has been recovered.

In June 2013, three hikers were rescued by a passing military helicopter when they tried to reach the bus.

In May 2013, three German hikers trying to reach the bus on the Stampede Trail, near Healy, located about 16 kilometres north of the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve on the Parks Highway, also had to be rescued.

They told troopers the river they crossed getting to the bus had become impassable for the return due to high, swift-running water.

The hikers had proper gear but only enough food for three days, troopers said.