Yosemite National Park: 22-year-old visitor dies after being swept over Nevada Fall
Josue Baires Alfaro drowned after being swept over the 594-foot (181 m) waterfall. A former lifeguard, Freesia Gaul, jumped in to rescue him but failed, barely saving herself by grabbing a walking stick.
A 22-year-old man died on Saturday after being swept over the nearly 600-foot (181 m) Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, California, officials confirmed this week. The National Park Service has launched an investigation into the death, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Fellow visitor Freesia Gaul told SFGate she was taking a photo when she noticed the man, identified by local authorities as Josue Baires Alfaro, in the Merced River. Gaul, a former volunteer lifeguard, jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him.
"People see calm water, but they don't realize that under that there's a huge undercurrent," she said. "When you see someone like that, when you make direct eye contact with someone who you know is going to go over, you can't turn around."
In the turbulent water, Gaul could not reach Alfaro and struggled to stay afloat herself. She thought her chances of survival were slim until a bystander extended a walking stick, which she grabbed to avoid going over the fall.
Yosemite National Park, located about three and a half hours east of San Francisco, is one of the most visited parks in the US, attracting around 4 million visitors annually. It is popular for hiking, water activities, and cycling.
Several deadly accidents have occurred at the park. In 2013, a 19-year-old from California died after swimming in the Merced River and being swept to the edge of Nevada Fall. In 2018, an Israeli teenager died after falling 800 feet (244 m) from a cliff while taking a selfie near Nevada Fall.
The National Park Service warns visitors to use "extreme caution" near any flowing water or wet rock in the area.
