A man died after being swept over Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park on Saturday, June 20, in an incident that remains under investigation by the National Park Service.
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 22-year-old Josue Baires Alfaro, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Officials said he fell into the Merced River and was swept over Nevada Fall, a 594-foot waterfall located below Liberty Cap in Yosemite.
In a statement reported by Fox News, the National Park Service said park dispatch received reports that an individual had gone over the fall. National Park Service rangers and Yosemite Search and Rescue personnel responded.
Search and recovery operations were conducted in the area below the fall.
Some people who said they were in the area shared witness accounts online after the incident.
An account reported by SFGATE said Freesia Gaul, a park visitor and former volunteer lifeguard, tried to rescue Alfaro after seeing him in the river above Nevada Fall. Gaul told the outlet she ran into the water fully clothed, but the current quickly overpowered her. She said a bystander pulled her to safety with a walking stick before she saw Alfaro go over the waterfall.
Another witness reported seeing rescue personnel near the Mist Trail, which leads toward Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall.
Nevada Fall is one of Yosemite’s most recognizable waterfalls, but the area is also known for slick granite, fast-moving water, and a steep drop. The waterfall plunges 594 feet along the Merced River.
The incident happened during Yosemite’s busy summer hiking season, when the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail draw large numbers of visitors near Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and the Merced River.
Park officials have not released a full account of the incident.
The death is a reminder that the water above Yosemite’s waterfalls can be dangerous even when it appears calm. Fast currents, cold water, and slippery rock can turn deadly in seconds near the top of a waterfall.
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