A man has tragically died at the Grand Canyon after accidentally falling off a wall edge while trying to take selfies.
The unnamed tourist from Hong Kong fell nearly 1,000 ft at Eagle Point observation area, a remote site near the glass bridge Skywalk, earlier this week.
CBS reports that the man had stumbled off the side while taking photos at the site. Although his identity has not been released, reports state he was in his 50s and visiting with eleven others on a seven-day tour of the American west coast.
His body was airlifted by helicopter, according to spokesman David Leibowitz, who added that the area was temporarily shut down.
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The National Park Service and the local medical examiner's office are currently investigating the incident.
Leibowitz went on to describe how the rim of the Skywalk has some ledges but no barriers between tourists and the edge, although the unnamed man didn't fall from this specific bridge.
He did, however, point out that there are signs at Eagle Point warning visitors not to get too close to the edge. Leibowitz extended his prayers to the man's family.
The death is the second to have been reported by park officials this week, after a body was found on Tuesday evening in a wooded area south of Grand Canyon Village.
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The body has yet to be identified and the National Park Service and the local medical examiner's office are also investigating the case.
The most recent victim is another of the mounting number of people who have died while taking snaps of themselves. According to a recent study, 259 people died taking selfies between 2011 and 2017.
The deaths were from 137 separate incidents and the average age of those who died was around 23.
Almost three quarters of the deaths were men, with transport, drowning and falls among the most common causes of death. The findings also pointed out that the number of selfie-related deaths is rising.
The report says: "It is believed that selfie deaths are underreported and the true problem needs to be addressed.
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"Certain road accidents while posing for selfies are reported as death due to Road Traffic Accident.
"Thus, the true magnitude of the problem is underestimated. It is therefore important to assess the true burden, causes, and reasons for selfie deaths so that appropriate interventions can be made."
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