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.