Grand Canyon tragedies: A list of incidents, deaths at Arizona's landmark

Every year, millions of people visit Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona , and incidents, some resulting in tragedies, happen from time to time.

Here's a look at some of the incidents that have happened in the area in recent years.

Here is information from Grand Canyon National Park on how to stay safe while visiting.

Virginia man dies while hiking Grand Canyon trail

Virginia man dies while hiking Grand Canyon trail

A man from Virginia died while hiking in the Grand Canyon. National Park Service officials say they received an emergency call just before 2 p.m. on Sept. 9 of a hiker in distress on the North Kaibab Trail one mile south of Cottonwood Campground.

Hiker dies amid extreme heat in Grand Canyon

Hiker dies amid extreme heat in Grand Canyon

Officials say a 57-year-old woman died while hiking in the Grand Canyon last weekend.

Man falls more than 4,000 feet from Grand Canyon skywalk to his death

Man falls more than 4,000 feet from Grand Canyon skywalk to his death

A 33-year-old man has died after he plummeted from the Grand Canyon's skywalk attraction, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office.

Hiker dies in Grand Canyon National Park during an attempt at a difficult trek, NPS says

Hiker dies in Grand Canyon National Park during an attempt at a difficult trek, NPS says

The National Park Service says a woman who was attempting to hike to the Colorado River and back in a day was found dead in Grand Canyon National Park.

Wisconsin man dies while hiking Grand Canyon trail

Wisconsin man dies while hiking Grand Canyon trail

A man from Wisconsin died while hiking on a trail in the Grand Canyon, officials said.

7 hurt when Grand Canyon tour helicopter makes hard landing

7 hurt when Grand Canyon tour helicopter makes hard landing

The pilot and six passengers were taken to hospitals in Las Vegas and suburban Henderson for treatment of injuries that Boulder City spokesperson Lisa LaPlante called not life-threatening.

Grand Canyon National Park motorboat incident on Colorado River leaves 1 dead, multiple injured

Grand Canyon National Park motorboat incident on Colorado River leaves 1 dead, multiple injured

The Grand Canyon National Park Service received a report of a flipped motorboat on the Colorado River at Bedrock Rapid in Arizona.

Arizona woman dies while backpacking in Grand Canyon

Arizona woman dies while backpacking in Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon National Park Service says Delphine Martinez, a resident of Window Rock, was on a multi-day backpacking trip on Sept. 4 when she was found unconscious along the Thunder River Trail, about one mile from the confluence of Tapeats Creek and the Colorado River.

Man found dead in Grand Canyon after falling 200 feet from North Rim

Man found dead in Grand Canyon after falling 200 feet from North Rim

The 44-year-old visitor had reportedly fallen 200 feet from the rim west of Bright Angel Trail.

Canadian woman dies while hiking out of Grand Canyon

Canadian woman dies while hiking out of Grand Canyon

The victim was identified as 41-year-old Melanie Goodine from Ottawa, Ontario. Officials say she was hiking out of the Grand Canyon after hiking to the Colorado River earlier in the day.

Grand Canyon visitor falls 20-feet to her death, park officials say

Grand Canyon visitor falls 20-feet to her death, park officials say

A woman visiting the Grand Canyon from Utah was killed when she suffered a 20-foot fall on April 4, says the National Park Service.

Colorado woman dies during boating trip at Grand Canyon

Colorado woman dies during boating trip at Grand Canyon

Mary Kelley, a 68-year-old woman from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, entered the river at the top of Hance Rapid. Members of her group pulled her out of the water, discovered she was unresponsive and began CPR.

Scottsdale man found dead in Grand Canyon

Scottsdale man found dead in Grand Canyon

During an aerial search, the body of 57-year-old Ralph Stoll was found between Yuma Point and Dripping Springs.

Search at Grand Canyon turns up remains of another person

Body of Hungarian man missing since July recovered in Grand Canyon

Body of Hungarian man missing since July recovered in Grand Canyon

Gabor Berczi-Tomcsanyi, 45, is a Hungarian national who was believed to have visited the South Rim on or around July 19. His body was recovered Monday approximately 430 feet below the rim.

NPS: Multiple people struck by lightning during monsoon storm at Grand Canyon

NPS: Multiple people struck by lightning during monsoon storm at Grand Canyon

Officials say lightning strikes an average of 25,000 times per year in Grand Canyon National Park.

Hiker dies on Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon

Hiker dies on Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon

The victim became unresponsive near Mile-and-Half Resthouse after returning from a day trip to Plateau Point. Witnesses at the scene performed CPR until rescue crews arrived. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Louisiana man dies while hiking Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon

Louisiana man dies while hiking Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon

Rodney Hatfield, from Washington, Louisiana, had reportedly been on a multi-day hiking trip and was returning from Phantom Ranch when he started having trouble hiking up Bright Angel Trail.

Flash flooding sweeps Arizona; 1 rafter dead in Grand Canyon

Ohio woman dies from suspected heat-related illness while backpacking in Grand Canyon National Park

Ohio woman dies from suspected heat-related illness while backpacking in Grand Canyon National Park

A spokeswoman for the Grand Canyon National Park said it has recently seen an uptick in heat-related illness.

Illinois man found dead on South Kaibab Trail at Grand Canyon National Park

Illinois man found dead on South Kaibab Trail at Grand Canyon National Park

A hiker has died on the South Kaibab Trailhead at Grand Canyon National Park, park officials say.

Ohio woman dies backpacking Grand Canyon; possibly heat-related

Ohio woman dies backpacking Grand Canyon; possibly heat-related

A backpacker has died on the Tonto Trail at Grand Canyon National Park, park officials say. The death could be heat-related.

Colorado man dies during boating trip at Grand Canyon

Colorado man dies during boating trip at Grand Canyon

Sixty-three-year-old James Crocker of Lakewood, Colorado was on a multi-day private boating trip when he was pulled from the water by other members of his group.

Man fell 4,000 feet to his death from the Grand Canyon Skywalk in Arizona

By ashley r. williams, cnn | posted - june 19, 2023 at 5:42 p.m., rescuers responded to the grand canyon west skywalk after a 33-year-old fell into the grand canyon. (mohave county sheriff's office search and rescue).

Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes

GRAND CANYON — A man fell 4,000 feet to his death from a popular tourist attraction walkway in the Grand Canyon, according to authorities in Arizona.

The man, only identified as a 33-year-old male, was on the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West before he went over the edge, plunging into the canyon below, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue said in a Facebook post.

On June 5, a technical rope rescue team responded to the Skywalk — a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that extends 70 feet out over the canyon's rim — after a report of someone going over the edge.

Two rope specialists "responded with (a) Kingman (Department of Public Safety) Ranger helicopter to the scene and determined the man was deceased," the post read. The sheriff's office said it is investigating the incident.

The man's body was later transferred to the Hualapai Nation, a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in northwestern Arizona, the sheriff's office reported.

Located outside of Grand Canyon National Park in the Grand Canyon West area, the Skywalk is managed by the Hualapai Tribe, according to the National Park Service. The Skywalk has seen more than 10 million visitors since 2007, according to the Grand Canyon West website.

The Mohave County Sheriff's Office and the Hualapai Nation Police Department did not immediately respond to CNN's request for a comment.

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33-Year-Old Falls 4,000 Feet To His Death At Grand Canyon Skywalk

Elyse Wanshel

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

People walk along the Grand Canyon Skywalk on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in northwestern Arizona.

A man plummeted thousands of feet to his death while visiting a popular tourist destination at the Grand Canyon earlier this month.

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona said that a man “went over the edge” at the Grand Canyon West Skywalk about 9 a.m. on June 5, according to a statement on Facebook . The skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that extends 70 feet out over the rim of the natural phenomenon, giving visitors a clear view 4,000 feet to the canyon floor below. The man remains unidentified by authorities, but his age has been made public. He was 33 years old.

On June 5, a rope rescue team responded after a report that someone went over the skywalk railing, according to the sheriff’s office.

Two rope specialists arrived along with a “helicopter to the scene and determined the man was deceased,” the post said.

The body was taken to a hospital. The sheriff’s office said it is investigating the incident. It is unclear why he fell, but the sheriff’s office’s Facebook post does include information for a suicide prevention hotline.

The skywalk is managed by the Hualapai Tribe, according to the National Park Service . More than 10 million people have visited the skywalk since 2007, according to the Grand Canyon West website . It’s also pretty sturdy, boasting it could hold 70 fully loaded 747 passenger jets.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com . Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention .

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tourist dies at grand canyon

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Family of tourist among 5 killed in Grand Canyon helicopter crash wins $100M settlement

Grand Canyon Helicopter Crash Settlement

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada judge has approved a $100 million cash settlement to the parents of a British tourist who was among five killed — including his newlywed wife — when a helicopter crashed and burst into flames in the Grand Canyon in 2018.

Under the settlement approved in Las Vegas on Friday, the family of Jonathan Udall, 31, will receive $24.6 million from the operator of the helicopter, Papillon Airways Inc., and $75.4 million from its French manufacturer, Airbus Helicopters SAS.

The family's lawyer, Gary C. Robb of Kansas City, Missouri, said they insisted the settlement terms be made public to raise awareness about aircraft fuel tanks they say are prone to rupturing.

“The parents say the fuel tank was basically a fire bomb,” Robb told The Associated Press late Monday.

Lawyers for the defendants, Eric Lyttle for Airbus Helicopters Inc., and William Katt for Papillon Airways, confirmed the terms, according to a transcript of a hearing Friday in Clark County District Court.

They did not immediately return calls late Monday or respond to emails Tuesday from The Associated Press.

Jonathan and Ellie Milward Udall, 29, boarded the helicopter from Boulder City, Nevada, with the three others who were killed. They were touring the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation, outside the boundaries of the national park, when the crash happened.

The family’s lawsuit alleged the helicopter was unsafe because it lacked a crash-resistant fuel system that's now required for aircraft built after the Federal Aviation Administration issued new regulations in 2020.

Robb said some helicopter manufacturers have voluntarily replaced the fuel tanks grandfathered in under the FAA regulations but many have not.

“The Udall family wants to shine a spotlight on this issue so the industry will take note and voluntarily seek to correct this public health issue. They don’t want anyone else to go through what their son went through in an otherwise survivable accident — not a broken bone. He would have walked away.”

The Airbus EC130 B4 crashed just before sunset in February 2018 in a section of the Grand Canyon where air tours aren’t as highly regulated as in the national park. Three of the British tourists on board were pronounced dead at the scene: veterinary receptionist Becky Dobson, 27; her boyfriend and car salesman Stuart Hill, 30; and Hill’s brother, 32-year-old lawyer Jason Hill.

Jonathan Udall, of Southampton, and Ellie Udall later died of complications from burn injuries. His parents claimed in the lawsuit that their son could have survived if not for the post-fire crash.

All of them were on the trip to celebrate Stuart Hill’s birthday.

Robb said helicopter manufacturers have been aware the old-fashioned, hard-plastic fuel tanks are prone to rupturing during hard landings.

“The fuel pours onto the passengers, then ignites. It’s just horrible," he said. “The three people on the right side of the aircraft never escaped. They were completely burned in their seats.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said turbulent winds were a probable cause of the loss of control and tail-rotor effectiveness before the hard landing outside the national park boundaries.

Its final accident report in January 2021 said the investigation found no evidence of mechanical problems with the helicopter but noted it lacked a crash-resistant fuel system. The helicopters in Papillon’s fleet weren’t required to have them, but the company has since retrofitted the aircraft with fuel tanks that expand and seal upon impact instead of rupturing.

The pilot Scott Booth fractured his lower left leg, and passenger Jennifer Barham had a spinal fracture. They also suffered severe burns but survived. Since then, both of Booth's legs have been amputated, he said.

Papillon Helicopters spokesman Matt Barkett said in an email to AP on Tuesday that safety is the company’s top priority. He noted the NTSB concluded there were no mechanical problems “and our pilot was not found to be at fault due to the extreme weather conditions.”

“Crash resistant fuel cells were installed in Papillon’s entire fleet once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved their use in the months following this accident. We continue to extend our sympathies to the families of the victims and now close this difficult chapter in our history,” he wrote.

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tourist dies at grand canyon

Tourist dies after a 4,000-foot tumble from popular Grand Canyon spot

A man who was visiting a popular tourist site at the Grand Canyon earlier this month fell from the walkway and plummeted 4,000 feet to his death, Arizona authorities shared.

The 33-year-old man was on the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West on June 5 when he went over the edge, according to a press release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue .

The sheriff’s office’s technical rope rescue team responded to the skywalk after receiving calls that someone had gone over the edge of the horseshoe-shaped glass bridge.

The walkway is popular, as it gives tourists a view into the canyon, extending 70 feet over the edge.

“Two short-haul technicians (rope specialists) responded with [a] Kingman DPS Ranger helicopter to the scene and determined the man was deceased,” the sheriff’s office said.

The incident is still being investigated by police.

The man’s body has since been transferred to the Hualapai Nation, a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Arizona, the sheriff’s office shared.

This is not the first incident to occur at a National Park this year, as visitor and animal deaths continue to make headlines.

At Yellowstone National Park, drivers and visitors were urged to make an effort to protect wildlife by using caution while at the park. The warning came after a number of recent incidents have left several animals killed or endangered.

One interaction saw a bison calf being disturbed as it was attempting to cross a river in the park, leading to it being euthanized. Another saw a group of tourists put a baby elk in their car and drive it to a police precinct at the park.

“In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife,” the park said in a press release .

Skywalk glass observation bridge at Grand Canyon West Rim.

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A general view of the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Man dies in Grand Canyon national park while attempting grueling hike

Ranjith Varma, 55, of Manassas, Virginia, was unresponsive about halfway through 18-mile hike amid temperatures of 100F

A 55-year-old man died while hiking in Grand Canyon national park on Saturday, park service officials have announced.

The hiker, identified as Ranjith Varma from Manassas, Virginia, died while attempting an 18-mile trek from the south rim of the canyon to the north rim. Varma was hiking with a party of six people and about halfway through their walk through the inner canyon, the lowest part of the hike, he became unresponsive. Emergency crews were called and bystanders began CPR, according to a press release from the national park service (NPS).

Rescuers flew a helicopter to the area but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

“It definitely is a tragic circumstance. No one comes to the Grand Canyon thinking something like this would occur to them,” said Joelle Baird, a public affair specialist for the NPS.

Varma was on his way to the last leg of the “rim to rim” hike, a grueling journey that can take between 12-15 hours with thousands of feet gained in elevation. Each section has a unique elevation, temperature and landscape, making the hike incredibly rigorous and dangerous for people who are unprepared or haven’t done physical conditioning first.

While it is unclear what Varma’s exact cause of death was, Baird emphasized the rigorous nature of the hike combined with the recent heatwaves makes it a dangerous time to attempt such an undertaking. On the day of Varma’s hike, the temperature in the inner canyon was over 100F.

“People need to be acclimated. Heat can be a factor that a lot of folks – unless they’re from a hot environment – can be blindsided by,” Baird said.

Varma is one of several people to die in a national park in recent months as extreme heat has gripped US states from California to Florida and affected nearly all of the nation’s 425 national parks.

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In early July, a 57-year-old woman died while hiking at the Grand Canyon. On 23 June, a father and stepson both died in Texas’s Big Bend national park after hiking in 119F (48C) heat. In Death Valley, two people died including a 71-year-old man who collapsed on 18 July after hiking a trail at Golden Canyon, and a 65-year-old man who was found in his car dead from “apparent heat illness”.

Grand Canyon emergency crews receive about 350 search and rescue calls. Two of the main factors in these rescues are, “a lack of physical condition and fatigue”, Baird said. About 10 to 20 people a year die in the canyon, Varma was the ninth of this year.

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Visitor to Grand Canyon's North Rim slips, falls and dies

The Grand Canyon's North Rim as seen from the Lodge.

GRAND CANYON — A man fell to his death at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park and his body has been recovered, park officials said in a statement Saturday.

Rangers found his body about 200 feet below the rim near the park's Bright Angel Point Trail, the statement said. The man, 44, was off the trail when he accidentally slipped off the edge Friday afternoon.

He was not identified. The National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office are investigating.

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Tourist dies after falling off raft on Grand Canyon rapids tour

‘park rangers were flown into the location with the park helicopter and all resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful’, article bookmarked.

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A 68-year-old woman died after falling into the water during a whitewater rafting trip in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona .

Mary Kelley from Steamboat Springs, Colorado , fell into the water on Thursday morning on the ninth day of her boat journey near Hance Rapid on the Colorado River , according to the National Park Service .

Others in the group she was travelling with managed to get her out of the water. She was unresponsive and CPR was performed until emergency services got to the scene.

Park officials were alerted that CPR was in progress at around 11.18am on 24 March.

“Park rangers were flown into the location with the park helicopter and all resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful,” the National Park Service said in a statement .

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They noted that there was strong turbulence in the area where Ms Kelley fell into the water because of debris brought there by recent flash floods, according to the New York Post.

The death is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

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36-year-old tourist dies hiking popular Grand Canyon National Park trail, rangers say

A 36-year-old hiker died during a trek on a popular trail in the Grand Canyon National Park.

The woman was visiting the Arizona park from Westfield, Indiana, when she set out on the Bright Angel Trail , the National Park Service said in a Wednesday, May 24, news release.

She wanted to reach the Colorado River from the rim of the canyon and back in one day, park officials said.

At about 9 p.m., however, she was found unresponsive on the trail above the Three-Mile Resthouse, rangers said.

Rescuers said they tried to resuscitate her, but she died.

Park officials did not identify the woman or disclose a cause of death.

Park officials said they don’t recommend hiking to the Colorado River and back in one day.

Rangers also warned visitors of hiking in hot weather in the coming weeks.

Parts of the trail can reach temperatures as high as 120 degrees, including in the shade, officials said.

The inner canyon shouldn’t be hiked in the summer between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. because that’s when hikers report the most heat-related illnesses, park officials said.

The Bright Angel Trail is a popular trail into the Grand Canyon. It’s a nearly 8-mile trail with a 4,460-foot elevation change.

Beating the heat

When temperatures are extremely high, some people’s bodies can have trouble regulating temperature.

In some cases, people can experience heat exhaustion and have muscle cramps, nausea, weakness and cold or clammy skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If heat exhaustion persists for too long, however, it can lead to heatstroke , the most serious form of heat injury. People experiencing heatstroke can have hot, red, dry or damp skin. They also can have a fast and strong pulse, and they can become confused. People should move indoors immediately and call 911 right away if they have symptoms.

If people choose to hike or be outdoors in dangerously hot temperatures , officials recommend the following tips:

Carry and drink plenty of water and plan to replenish electrolytes.

Eat twice as much food as normal and have salty foods on hand.

Carry a first-aid kit.

Pack essentials only.

Bring a flashlight with spare batteries to hike during the cool evening.

Spray yourself with water to cool down.

Have a hat and sunscreen as protection from the sun.

Have a whistle or signal for emergency use.

Wear waterproof clothing.

Man dies at popular campground in Arches National Park as rangers try to save him

Search underway for Florida visitor missing in Great Smoky Mountains, park reports

Hiker dies on trail in Arches National Park as rangers try to save him, officials say

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Breaking news, colorado tourist dies at grand canyon after falling into whitewater rapids.

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Hance Rapid.

A Colorado woman has died after she fell overboard into whitewater rapids on a trip through Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, park officials said.

Mary Kelley, 68, of Steamboat Springs, was nine days into a boating trip when she fell into the water Thursday morning near Hance Rapid on the Colorado River, the National Park Service said in a statement.

Members of her group pulled her out and attempted CPR on her until authorities arrived.

“Park rangers were flown into the location with the park helicopter and all resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful,” park officials said.

Park officials said there was powerful turbulence in the area of the river where she fell because of debris in the water from recent flash floods.

The National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner have launched an investigation into the death.

A vertical view of the Arizona-Utah border area showing the Colorado River and Grand Canyon.

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Canadian hiker dies at Grand Canyon under extreme heat

A 41-year-old woman from ottawa did not respond to cpr while ascending the popular bright angel trail.

tourist dies at grand canyon

A Canadian tourist died in Arizona last week while hiking in the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service said.

The NPS did not provide a cause of death. It said in a Friday news release it is conducting an investigation alongside the Coconino County Medical Examiner. The medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

According to park officials, Melanie Goodine, a 41-year-old from Ottawa, received CPR from bystanders Thursday before becoming unresponsive. Goodine had hiked to the Colorado River early in the day and was on her way out of the canyon. The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center got a report of a “hiker in distress” on the Bright Angel Trail, above Three-Mile Resthouse, around 5:50 p.m.

“National Park Service (NPS) search and rescue personnel responded and assisted with resuscitation efforts,” the agency said in the release. “All attempts to resuscitate the individual were unsuccessful.”

The park service describes Bright Angel Trail as the “most popular trail in the park” with a “fairly easy” descent. “This can be a blessing or a curse,” the agency’s website says. “Wide views of the inner canyon and distant formations often distract hikers from just how far down the trail they’ve walked. The return hike back up and out of the canyon is far more difficult and requires much more effort.”

The agency said in the release that all visitors “should ensure they are drinking plenty of fluids, resting in shade during the heat of the day, watching for signs of distress in traveling companions, and dressing appropriately for the weather, which includes light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.”

Hiking in the Grand Canyon during the summer months is particularly difficult, when the impacts of the desert’s hot and dry conditions are more intense . The canyon’s dramatic changes in temperature and dryness can create perilous conditions for hikers.

Temperatures can reach 115 degrees or higher during the summer, per NPS. Temperatures in the shade where Goodine was hiking Thursday reached around 95 to 104 degrees, a spokesperson for the park told CNN .

The NPS urged visitors Friday to read its hiking tips before their journey and to check its Backcountry Updates and Closures page for updates on inner canyon conditions. The agency “does not recommend hiking from the rim to the river and back in one day,” per the release.

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Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

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tourist dies at grand canyon

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Grand Canyon tourist falls 1,000 feet to his death while taking photos

March 29, 2019 / 7:15 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Grand Canyon West, Ariz. — Two people have died at the Grand Canyon in separate incidents this week. Officials said in the latest incident, a man stumbled over the edge of the rim while trying to take pictures.

A helicopter lifted the body of the Hong Kong man from 1,000 feet below the rim of the Eagle Point observation area Thursday afternoon at Grand Canyon West. The site is a popular tourist destination on the Hualapai reservation outside the boundaries of the national park, spokesman David Leibowitz said. The man's identity has not been released.

Grand Canyon Fall

When the fall happened Thursday, there were few visitors at Eagle Point, a remote site best known for the Skywalk, a horse-shoe shaped glass bridge that juts out from the canyon wall, Leibowitz said. The rim has some ledges and outcroppings below but no barrier between tourists and the edge.

The man, who was in his 50s, was taking photos when he stumbled and fell, Leibowitz said. Signs at Eagle Point warn tourists not to get too close to the edge. Leibowitz also stressed to CBS News that the man didn't fall from the Skywalk. 

The area closed for the day after the incident, Leibowitz said. He extended the tribe's prayers to the man's family.

The Hualapai reservation includes a roughly 100-mile stretch of the Grand Canyon at its western edge.

Meanwhile, authorities at Grand Canyon National Park — about 95 miles east — were working to identify a person believed to be a foreign national. A body was found Tuesday evening in a wooded area south of Grand Canyon Village away from the rim, the park said.

The person's relatives haven't been notified, and the cause of death is unclear, park spokeswoman Vanessa Ceja-Cervantes said. The National Park Service and the local medical examiner's office are investigating.

Last fall, a travel-blogging couple fell 800 feet to their deaths at Yosemite National Park . A photographer spotted them moments earlier at the edge of a cliff.  

A study found in a 7-year period, 259 people worldwide died while taking selfies. More than 70 percent were men, who researchers said took more risks to get a dramatic shot.

"We always say that the zoom button is your friend, make sure you use that if you want to get a good photo of the canyon,"

Tech giants have promoted a culture of selfies and social media is full of daring photos taken at great risk. The rugged 277-mile-long Grand Canyon makes safety rails impossible in many areas.  

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S., drawing nearly 6.4 million visitors last year. Grand Canyon West gets about 1 million visitors annually.

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Tourist Falls 1K Feet to His Death at Grand Canyon While Trying to Take Photos

A man from China fell 1,000 feet to his death at Grand Canyon West's Eagle Point while trying to snap photos on Thursday

A tourist visiting the Grand Canyon fell 1,000 feet to his death on Thursday while trying to take photos at one of its popular sites, PEOPLE confirms.

The unidentified tourist — a Macau, China, man in his late 50s — was taking photos at Grand Canyon West’s Eagle Point — a tourist hot spot on the Hualapai reservation outside the national park — when he stumbled and fell, park spokesman David Leibowitz told PEOPLE. He was part of a tour group.

“The thoughts and prayers of every Grand Canyon West employee remain with the loved ones of this individual and the members of the tour group,” Leibowitz said in a statement.

He fell around 10 a.m. and a helicopter recovered his body later in the afternoon, Leibowitz said, noting that the area was closed for the rest of the day.

Signs in the area warned tourists to steer clear of the edge, but the rim has no barrier between tourists and the edge, according to the Associated Press .

Just two days earlier, in a separate incident, authorities on Tuesday found the body of a person believed to be a foreign national in a wooded area near Grand Canyon Village, according to the AP. The cause of death is unclear, officials told the AP, and the medical examiner’s office is investigating.

On average, up to three people fatally fall from Eagle Point’s horseshoe-shaped edge each year, according to a website dedicated to the park . About 12 people die at the Grand Canyon a year, including those due to natural causes, according to AZ Central .

Grand Canyon National Park recently celebrated its 100th year on Feb. 26. The geological site draws 6 million visitors each year. However, as much as it is known for its beautiful landscape and rock formations, the Grand Canyon has become the site of hundreds of deaths.

At least 770 people have died at the park since the mid-1800s, CityLab reported . Last October, the bodies of Garret Bonkowski, 25, and Jessica Bartz, 22, of Peoria, Arizona, were found on the canyon’s South Rim .

Months earlier, in July, 24-year-old Andrey Privin, of Illinois, lost his footing and fell 500 feet to his death after climbing over a railing at Mather Point.

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