A 25-year-old man is missing and presumed dead after he fell from a cliff while taking a photograph at Washington’s Palouse Falls State Park.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the park around 2:30 p.m. Monday after the man, who was not identified, fell from a cliff above Palouse Falls and into the water below. He fell about 35 feet and is believed to have drowned, KHQ reported.
The man’s girlfriend told authorities that they were hiking and stopped to take a photo when he lost his footing and fell.
Authorities from multiple agencies searched the area for hours Monday, but did not find the man. Crews are expected to return to the area on Tuesday to continue the search.
Officials have expressed concern over unmarked trails at the state park for years, according to The Spokesman-Review. Authorities put up temporary fencing at the park in 2015 to keep people away from trails considered potentially dangerous, the newspaper reported.
Trails were reopened last year with a caution for hikers to use them at their own risk, according to The Spokesman-Review.
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