An Illinois man was identified as the victim of a roughly 500-foot fall from Mather Point on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park/NPS file
A 24-year-old man from Illinois was identified Friday as the victim of a roughly 500-foot fall from the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
Andrey Privin, from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, died Tuesday after he reportedly climbed over a railing at Mather Point, park staff said.
Some park visitors said they saw the young man "toss his backpack to his intended landing spot, but did not realize that he was going to try to jump the gap." However, the park staff would not confirm that account.
"I understand that people are hypothesizing about what happened," park spokeswoman Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski said in an email. "While the incident remains under investigation, I can share that it is most likely he removed his backpack for better dexterity." She did not elaborate.
Each year, two or three visitors to the park fall to their deaths from the South or North Rims, according to park accounts.
Comments
Such sad news, he was a kind soul.
i saw the whole thing. That's not what happened
Grand Canyon has always attracted those who simply want to end their lives amid the beauty of nature. I know it's romanticism, and while I've no way to support this thought, I've come to believe they hoped that somehow their spirit would be released to add to the beauty of the Canyon when they cast themselves over the edge. But what do I know?
If you saw it, what did happen?
Nothing. Andrey was a wonderful young man on vacation who made a fatal mistake. He was my friend. He was full of joy and life, and was on his first vacation out west. He did not use good judgement, and he did not intend for this to happen. Todd, you are out of line to guess anything.
what happened?
he definitely wasn't planning on doing that!! So please no stupid comments like that!!
RIGHT