Local News

20-year-old Hickory man falls 400 feet to his death from rim of Grand Canyon

A 20-year-old man has fallen 400 feet to his death from a scenic overlook at the Grand Canyon, officials said.

The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report on Wednesday (July 31st) at approximately 10:40 a.m. that a visitor to the park had fallen from the rim of the canyon a few hundred feet west of Pipe Creek Overlook, according to a statement from the National Park Service released on Thursday.

Rangers responded to the location immediately and were able to locate the body of 20-year-old Abel Joseph Meija from Hickory, North Carolina, about 400 feet below the canyon’s rim.

“Mr. Mejia was near the edge of the rim when he suffered an accidental fall,” officials said. “An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.”

Responders manage a high angle technical rescue system on July 31, 2024

NPS / K.Ross

Authorities have not disclosed how Meija managed to fall to his death or why he got close to the edge in the first place.

Pipe Creek Vista is a popular stop for visitors and is the first pullout heading east toward Desert View on Desert View Drive. It can be accessed by private vehicle or by using the free park shuttle bus, which departs from the Visitor Center Shuttle Bus Terminal, according to the park.

“Grand Canyon National Park staff encourage all visitors to have a safe visit by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance of at least six feet (2 m) from the edge of the rim and staying behind railings and fences at overlooks,” officials said.