Grand Canyon Fall: Man Dies After Tumbling 400 Feet at South Rim

A man fell 400 feet to his death at the Grand Canyon late Thursday afternoon, and officials were working to recover his body on Friday.

The man fell to his death on the South Rim near Mather point on the east trail. The incident was reported to park authorities about 4:20 p.m., a park press release said.

“A hasty search over the edge was unable to locate the individual,” the Thursday release said. “The park helicopter was able to locate the man approximately 400 feet below the rim. Due to terrain, time of day, and safety concerns recovery operations have suspended for the day and will resume in the morning.”

The man’s identity has not been released, and park authorities are conducting an investigation into the fall.

In 2014, The Associated Press said about 4.5 million people visit the canyon each year, and about 12 die there annually. Two or three of those deaths are usually attributed to falls.

According to FiveThirtyEight — which last year explored Grand Canyon deaths over the years — most deaths at the site aren't caused by falls, although that’s what people think of when they consider the terrain.

Between 1867 and 2008, just 34 percent of the fatalities were attributed to falls, the site reported, referring to data gathered for a book, “Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon.”

Twenty-five percent of the falls were caused by the environment, usually heat, although there were cases of hypothermia, FiveThirtyEight said.

The weather in the area can certainly cause problems for campers and hikers in the unforgiving terrain. In February, USA Today reported that helicopters had to rescue a group of 20 students from Northern Arizona University after heavy snowfall trapped them there. The group had been on a six-day wilderness hike when two feet of snow unexpectedly fell.

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