National Park Service launches ‘investigation’ into death of picture-taking hiker who plunged from Grand Canyon cliff

AN investigation has been launched into the death of a woman who reportedly fell off a ledge at the Grand Canyon National Park while she was trying to take a photograph.

Maria Andrea Salgado Lopez, of Scottsdale, Arizona, took a fatal plunge off Mather Point in Grand Canyon National Park on Friday afternoon, according to the National Park Service.

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A view of Grand Canyon National Park is pictured from Mather Point on the south rim[/caption]

The accident happened west of Mather Point and park rangers recovered Salgado’s body later Friday, the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center said.

An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

At around 12.35pm, the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center was notified of a visitor who fell.

Lopez’s body was found by park rangers approximately 100 feet below the rim of west Mather Point.

The National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating the incident.

“Grand Canyon National Park staff encourage all visitors to have a safe visit this holiday weekend by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance from the edge of the rim, and staying behind railings and fences at overlooks,” the NPS explained.

The NPS news release stated that Lopez had been “hiking off trail and taking photographs with family when she accidentally stepped off the edge.”

Terror-stricken screams can be heard in a cell phone video, which appears to be taken near the scene and shared to Twitter.

The tweet read: “@GrandCanyonNPS woman fell to her death today at Mather point.

“You can hear people screaming…. We realized someone must have fallen and we called 911.”

Someone in the background of the video is heard saying: “That’s why you don’t go down there. That’s why there is no trail down there.”

Twitter/Miriam Weiner

Chilling screams can be heard in video footage taken near the scene[/caption]

Twitter/Miriam Weiner

Lopez’s body was found by park rangers approximately 100 feet below the rim of west Mather Point[/caption]

Twitter/Miriam Weiner

People appear to be looking on to where the woman fell to her death[/caption]

 

Miguel Salgado, Andrea’s son, has set up a GoFundMe account for his mother, to pay for funeral costs.

“Family & Friends it is with a heavy heart that I have to say that on July 3rd, 2020 our beloved Mom, Sister, Friend, Aunt has passed away due to an unforeseen accident,” he wrote.

“She is survived by her husband, 2 sons and daughter. This go fund me account has been created with the objective to assist this family with funeral costs. Anything you can contribute will be greatly appreciated.”