Man Falls 250 Feet to His Death from a South Rim Overlook at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon panorama from Desert View Drive (Lipan Point). Photo by [url=http://flickr.com/photos/51482812@N00/67043529/[TTVo[/url] via Flickr.

At approximately 4:15 p.m. Monday, October 6, witnesses reported seeing a man fall into the Grand Canyon from the first overlook on the South Rim’s Desert View Drive in Grand Canyon National Park. Rescuers responding to a 911 call discovered the body of 47-year old Michael Wilson of Scottsdale, Arizona about 250 below the overlook.

A helicopter long-line operation was employed to remove Wilson's body, which was subsequently transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s office in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Park Service is investigating the incident.

At least two or three fatal falls occur in a typical year at Grand Canyon. Two were recorded in August.