Grand Canyon Sidewalk Death: What led to a 28 year old tourist jumping over a barricade and plunging 500-800 ft to their death?
A 28 year old man has died after jumping 800 ft to his death from the Grand Canyon Sidewalk after climbing over a safety barrier on Saturday. Authorities have since led a search in a bid to retrieve his body.
The un-named tourist was visiting the popular attraction on the Hualapai reservation outside Grand Canyon National Park and jumped around 4.30pm.
A Grand Canyon West spokesman says a body recovery effort began Sunday morning. Authorities have declined releasing the apparently suicidal man’s identity.
Skywalk opened in 2007.
The horseshoe-shaped glass walkway juts about 70 feet over the canyon overlooking the Colorado River.
Signs warn tourists not to venture too close to the edge as a vertical drop from the Skywalk is between 500 feet and 800 feet.
Grand Canyon National Park fatalities:
Saturday’s victim is among several people who have died at the popular national park this year.
Earlier this month, a British tourist was killed while skydiving in tandem with an instructor when the two made a ‘hard landing’ about 15 minutes outside the South Rim of the canyon.
In April, an elderly woman fell to her death when she plummeted 200 feet, just weeks after a 67-year-old man fatally fell 400 feet.
In March, a Chinese tourist fell to his death when he stumbled while trying to take a photo close to Skywalk.
A helicopter ended up air lifting the body of the Hong Kong man from 1,000 feet below the rim at Grand Canyon West.
Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Vanessa Ceja previously told The Arizona Republic that about 12 people die each year within the Grand Canyon National park, mostly as a result of accidental falls as well as overheating and drownings in the Colorado river.
