A 38-year-old New Hampshire man fell to his death Sunday while rapelling in Englestead Hollow east of Zion National Park.
The victim’s name has not yet been disclosed. He was hiking with four of his siblings, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. They planned on hiking down Englestead Hollow, which includes a series of rappels, and then through the Narrows into Zion National Park.
The Kane County dispatch was notified about 11 a.m. The accident occurred on the first rappel of about 300 feet. The man lost control and reportedly fell at least 80 feet.
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter shuttled a team and medical personnel from Kane County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue to the scene. They were able to rappel to the fallen man.
A doctor from another group of hikers in the area was able to provide initial care. Initially it was believed that he had leg, hip, and back injuries. But the man died before he could be transported to a medical facility.
The accident remains under investigation.
This is the second incident in the same area in 10 days. On Aug. 25, rescue crews responded to a nearby canyon, Birch Hollow, for a person who had fallen about 100 feet while rappelling. That person survived his injuries after spending the night in the canyon with the rescue crew.