Grand Canyon Death: 67-Year-Old Man Dies After Falling Over Rim

A man died after falling over a rim at the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on Wednesday, making it the third death in less than two weeks at the popular tourist attraction.

According to a press release from the Grand Canyon National Park Service, the park rangers were informed by a bystander that a man had fallen over the canyon rim, east of Yavapai Geology Museum on Wednesday afternoon. The rangers, along with the park's helicopter and technical rescue team, reached the spot and found the body of a 67-year-old man about 400 feet (122 meters) below the rim.

The death was being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner, however, initial reports suggested the death was accidental. Though the identity of the man was not revealed, some reports suggested the tourist was from California, but there was no official confirmation of the claim.

“Grand Canyon National Park staff encourages all visitors to have a safe visit by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance from the edge of the rim and staying behind railings and fences at overlooks,” the press release said.

The incident comes a week after a tourist from Hong Kong died after falling while taking photographs at the tourist destination. The body of the unidentified tourist, who was part of a tour group taking photos near the rim, was found at the bottom of the canyon March 28. No additional information was released and the cause of death was being investigated.

In another incident, body of a tourist was found in an undeveloped area at the park’s South Rim on March 26. No other information was released.

The Grand Canyon National Park, spread across Arizona, Nevada and Utah, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States, drawing nearly 6.4 million visitors annually. The park, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, has two public areas, namely the North and South Rims. The South Rim is located 7,000 feet (2133 meters) above the sea level and is the most accessible section of the park. The Northern Rim, on ther other hand, is situated 8000 feet (22438 meters) above the sea level.