Man Drives Off Grand Canyon Rim In Alleged Suicide

KEY POINTS

The man was alone in the vehicle and authorities are trying to recover the body
Officials said the incident appeared to be "intentional"
The man's name, age and hometown have not yet been identified

A man died after driving his vehicle off the ridge of the Grand Canyon in an alleged suicide, authorities said.

The man was alone inside the vehicle when it went off the western rim of the Grand Canyon, said Lee Cooper, the marketing director for the Grand Canyon Resort Corporation.

According to Cooper, the incident "appeared to be intentional." "This is still an active investigation and we will provide updates as they become available," Cooper said to Associated Press.

The man’s identity, age and hometown were not immediately available.

The cooperation oversees Grand Canyon West, which is part of the Hualapai reservation outside the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park.

"The Hualapai people consider the canyon a place of sacred beauty and healing, and we are devastated by this tragedy," Ruby Steele, the corporation’s interim chief executive officer and a Hualapai member, said in a statement, the outlet reported.

Grand Canyon West is famous for its horseshoe-shaped glass skywalk that extends 70 feet from the canyon walls. Visitors on the bridge can view the Colorado River 4,000 feet below. In September 2019, a 28-year-old visitor at the skywalk climbed over a safety barrier and allegedly jumped to his death, according to NBC News. Another tourist fell to his death in March 2019 after stumbling while trying to take a photograph close to the skywalk.

In October 2020, authorities recovered the body of Chad Hafford, 29, a possible suicide victim, who was found 350 feet below the rim of the canyon.

The officials associated with the Grand Canyon West said they are cooperating with the investigators. Authorities are trying to recover the man and the vehicle.

According to the Grand Canyon National Park, they see an average of 12 deaths each year, including deaths caused by natural causes, medical problems, suicide, heat, drowning and traffic crashes.

On average, two to three deaths caused by falling over the rim are reported each year, park spokeswoman Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski said in a statement.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.