A 22-year-old visitor to Yosemite National Park in California died after being swept over the 594-foot-high (181-meter) Nevada Fall on Saturday, officials confirmed this week. The victim has been identified by local authorities as Josue Baires Alfaro.
Incident Details
Freesia Gaul, a fellow parkgoer, was capturing a photo when she noticed Alfaro in the Merced River. She told SFGate that he did not appear to be a “strong swimmer.” Gaul, a former volunteer lifeguard, jumped into the water in hopes of rescuing 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 turbulent waters, Gaul could not reach Alfaro and struggled to stay afloat, according to SFGate. She thought her survival odds were bleak until a bystander extended a walking stick that she clung to, avoiding going over Nevada Fall herself.
Investigation and Safety Warnings
The National Park Service (NPS) has opened an investigation into Alfaro’s death, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Yosemite National Park, located about three and a half hours east of San Francisco, attracts approximately 4 million visitors annually and is a popular destination for hiking, water activities, and cycling.
The NPS has warned parkgoers to use “extreme caution” near any flowing water or wet rock in that area.
Previous Fatalities
There have been several deadly accidents at Yosemite in recent years. In 2013, a 19-year-old from California died after swimming in the Merced River and being swept downstream to Nevada Fall’s edge. In 2018, an Israeli teenager died after plunging 800 feet (244 meters) down a cliff while taking a selfie near Nevada Fall.
