Young man tragically dies after falling 400 feet from Grand Canyon’s rim

A young man of 20 years has plunged 400 feet to his demise from a picturesque viewpoint at the Grand Canyon, as per officials.

The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center was notified on Wednesday around 10:40 a.m. that a sightseer at the park had dropped from the edge of the canyon a few hundred feet to the west of Pipe Creek Overlook, according to a statement from the National Park Service issued on Thursday.

Rangers promptly responded to the scene and successfully located the lifeless body of Abel Joseph Meija, a 20-year-old from Hickory, North Carolina, lying around 400 feet beneath the canyon’s brink.

“Mr. Mejia was in close proximity to the edge of the rim when he experienced an inadvertent fall,” officials stated. “An inquiry into the event is being carried out by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.”

Authorities have not revealed the circumstances under which Meija fell to his demise or why he approached the edge in the first place.

Pipe Creek Vista is a favored stop for tourists and marks the initial stopping point eastward towards Desert View on Desert View Drive. It is accessible by private vehicle or by utilizing the complimentary park shuttle bus, which leaves from the Visitor Center Shuttle Bus Terminal, as per the park.

“Grand Canyon National Park staff encourage all visitors to have a safe visit by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance of at least six feet (2 m) from the edge of the rim and staying behind railings and fences at overlooks,” officials said.