A 20-year-old college student accidentally fell 400 feet to his death after hiking off a trail in the Grand Canyon.
Abel Joseph Mejia, of Hickory, North Carolina, was found by National Park Service (NPS) workers 400 feet “below the edge” of the Pipe Creek overlook around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, the NPS said in a statement. Press release.
“Mr. Mejia was near the edge of the hoop when he suffered an accidental fall,” NPS said.
Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Joelle Baird said AZ Family that Mejia was walking off the trail, “which is a pretty common occurrence for a lot of our visitors here.”
The National Park Service, which is currently investigating the death, reminds park visitors to “always maintain a safe distance of at least six feet (2 m) from the edge of the rim and stay behind railings and fences at viewing areas.”
Turning Point Pentecostal Church said in a Facebook post that Mejia was on a ‘mission trip’ when the fatal fall occurred.
Abel Joseph Mejia, of Hickory, North Carolina, was found by National Park Service (NPS) workers 400 feet “below the edge” of the Pipe Creek Overlook around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
‘Mr. Mejia was near the edge of the hoop when he suffered an accidental fall,’ NPS said.
The recovery of Mejia’s body was “intensive” and involved 30 people, Baird told AZ Family.
Rescuers were able to locate the young man 15 minutes after being notified of the fall, but it took longer to extract him.
Mejia attended Indiana Bible College, which paid tribute to the young scholar and his “warm smile and gentle spirit.”
“His absence will be deeply felt by all who knew him,” the school wrote in a statement. Facebook post.
Grand Canyon spokeswoman Joelle Baird told AZ Family that the rescue mission for Mejia was “intensive” and involved 30 rescuers. Rescuers eventually pulled his body out of the canyon using a high-angle technical rescue system (pictured)
‘Let us all join in prayer for the entire Mejia family at this difficult time. May God bring comfort and peace to all who are grieving.’
There have been nine deaths at the Grand Canyon this year due to heart problems, natural causes, suicide and more, Baird said.
The last time a fatal fall occurred at the Grand Canyon was in 2022, he noted.
Grand Canyon National Park is considered one of the most dangerous in the country, with about 17 people dying there each year, according to the NPS.
More than 4 million people visit it every year.
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