Man falls to death parachuting at the Grand Canyon, second fatality in 2 days at iconic national park
A man died at the Grand Canyon after attempting an illegal BASE jump — a high-risk parachute leap — from Yavapai Point on the South Rim, the park said Friday, marking the second fatality at the national park in as many days.
The park did not name the person who died Thursday because it was still awaiting positive identification and needed to notify his family.
The jump attempt had been reported to the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center. Park rangers were able to recover the man's body about 500 feet below the rim early Friday, along with a deployed parachute.
The body was transported to the rim by helicopter and subsequently taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office.
The National Park Service and the medical examiner's office are conducting an investigation into what happened.
BASE jumping is a high-risk activity involving parachuting from fixed objects and illegal throughout Grand Canyon National Park.
The announcement comes just one day after park officials said a North Carolina college student died after falling 400 feet near a scenic viewpoint on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Park rangers said they received a report about a park visitor falling from the Pipe Creek Vista around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. They said the body of Abel Joseph Mejia, 20, of Hickory, was later recovered about a quarter-mile from the overlook.
In a post on social media, Indiana Bible Colle in Indianapolis said Mejia was a student there.
"Abel lost his life yesterday in an accident while visiting the Grand Canyon," the college wrote. "He was known for his warm smile and gentle spirit, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew him."
Turning Point Pentecostal Church said in a social media post that Mejia was on a mission trip before his fatal fall.
Joelle Baird, a public affairs officer for the Grand Canyon National Park, said this week that on average, there are about 10-15 deaths per year at the iconic park.