A 20-year-old man fell 400 feet from a Grand Canyon lookout point, authorities said.
The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday that a park visitor had fallen off the canyon rim a few hundred yards west of Pipe Creek Overlook, according to a National Park Service statement released Thursday.
Rangers responded immediately to the scene and were able to locate the body of Abel Joseph Meija, 20, of Hickory, North Carolina, approximately 400 feet below the canyon rim.
“Mr. Mejia was near the rim of the basket when he accidentally fell,” authorities said. “The incident is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.”
Responders operate a high-angle technical rescue system on July 31, 2024
NPS / K. Ross
Authorities have not revealed how Meija managed to fall and die or why he ended up near the edge in the first place.
Pipe Creek Vista is a popular stop for visitors and is the first rest area heading east toward Desert View on Desert View Drive. It can be reached by private vehicle or by using the park’s free shuttle, which departs from the shuttle terminal at the Visitor Center, according to the park.
“Grand Canyon National Park staff encourages all visitors to have a safe visit by staying on designated trails and walkways, always maintaining 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.
