GRAND CANYON, AZ – A 20-year-old Hickory-based college student lost his life in a tragic accident at the Grand Canyon. Abel Joseph Mejia was on a mission trip when he met with an accidental fall, sending him plunging 400 feet this past week.
The National Park Service (NPS) informed that Mejia’s body was retrieved by rangers using a high-angle technical rescue system after the fall on Wednesday morning. Officials confirmed that the fatal incident took place about a quarter-mile west of the Pipe Creek Overlook.
Presently, an investigation into Mejia’s death is being conducted by the NPS and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. According to Joelle Baird from the Grand Canyon National Park, Mejia was part of a group that included around six individuals when the mishap occurred. Baird noted that accidental falls are unusual and Mejia’s is the first report of such an incident at the Grand Canyon since 2022.
Indiana Bible College, where Mejia studied, acknowledged his demise on social media. The school’s post states that his loss will profoundly affect all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Subsequent to the tragedy, park authorities urge all visitors to adhere to designated trails and walkways, maintaining at least six feet from the canyon’s periphery.