Grand Canyon Deaths: Authorities Face Third Death In Eight Days At Popular Landmark

A 67-year-old tourist plunged to his death at the Grand Canyon this week, making this the third death in the past eight days at the national landmark.

On Wednesday, the unidentified male was found after park officials were notified about someone having fallen off the edge of a cliff, reports CNN. When park officials arrived, they found the tourist 400 feet below the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village.

In a statement released Thursday, the National Park Service reminded visitors, "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."

A Hong Kong tourist in his late 50s fell 1,000 feet to his death on March 29 at Grand Canyon West's Eagle Point while trying to snap photos.

The Associated Press reported that two days prior to that incident, a foreign national died in a wooded area near Grand Canyon Village, though the cause of their death is currently unclear.

According to Statista, the Grand Canyon received 6.38 million visitors in 2018. It has received an increased number of visitors every year since 2011.

The Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care reported in October that about 259 people worldwide have died while taking selfies.