According to Global News, in the last couple of weeks, three people have fallen to their deaths at the Grand Canyon. Hopping rocks and posing for photographs are the most common ways such deaths occur but in a typical year the park only sees on average two to three of these. Most deaths that occur at this American landmark are due to extreme heat or dehydration.
So, three "falling" deaths in the last two weeks is out of the ordinary. Last Thursday a man fell over the edge and 400 feet to his death. Prior to that a body was uncovered in a more remote part of the park, raising suspicion of suicide alongside the assumption of another falling accident. Two days later a Hong Kong tourist stumbled and fell while taking pictures. He landed about 1000 feet from the Canyon's rim.
Now the good news - according to park statistics, over 6 million people visit each year. So to put things into perspective, accidental falling deaths are still considered rare at the Grand Canyon National Park.
But how, exactly, do these falls occur? Mainly by not adhering to basic common sense that the park emphasizes to tourists:
- Stick to the paths
- Watch children near the rim and on trails
- Literally read Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon by Thomas M. Myers
- Consider not taking risky photos or selfies
No comments:
Post a Comment