Man trying to take a photo slips into waterfall and drowns, New York police say

A man died in western New York after falling into a waterfall, according to officials. The area has been beset by multiple accidental and intentional deaths, according to reports.

The 35-year-old was climbing at the base of Ithaca Falls on Oct. 11, intending to take a photo, but slipped and fell into the water, according to a news release from the Ithaca Police Department.

Several people pulled him from the water and police arrived to find him unconscious and not breathing, according to the release.

Police attempted to resuscitate the man, and an ambulance arrived to provide further medical aid.

He was taken to a hospital but died from “injuries sustained,” according to the release.

The victim lived in Ontario, Canada, and worked at a Canadian automotive manufacturing firm, according to his public LinkedIn profile.

Officials said the fall was an accident, according to the release.

Several people have drowned in the water beneath Ithaca Falls in recent years, including a Cornell student who drowned the day after receiving his diploma, according to The New York Times.

“People have been severely injured and four people have died in recent years from swimming in the gorges,” according to Cornell’s website, which adds that swimming in the area is illegal.

A string of Cornell student suicides at the gorges near the falls have also occurred, according to the Huffington Post. The university erected temporary fencing in 2010 as a deterrent, after three students jumped to their deaths over several weeks, according to The New York Times.

This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Man trying to take a photo slips into waterfall and drowns, New York police say."