Authorities: 3 Swept Over Waterfall Presumed Dead (Yosemite)

[cali]

By TRACIE CONE Associated Press
FRESNO, Calif. July 21, 2011 (AP)

Three people presumed dead after being swept over a raging waterfall in Yosemite National Park ignored warning signs and crossed a barricade to pose for photographs, a witness said Wednesday.

In addition, other hikers on the trail above the 317-foot Vernal Falls warned the group that conditions in the Merced River were treacherous.

"People come up here and they think it's Disneyland," said Jake Bibee, who says he is haunted by the look of terror in one man's eyes as he was swept over the falls clinging to his female companion.

"Everyone was screaming," Bibee, 28, said. "People were praying. What I will take away with me forever is the look on that grown man's face as he was floating down that river knowing he was going to die and nobody could help them."

<snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory?id=14119306

[catabryna]

1. Yet, they haven't the recovered the bodies.

I find the story to be odd.

[kestrel91316]

4. What's odd about the story?? Eyewitnesses saw it happen. Betcha there is no cell phone service, so

it would have been quite a while before the authorities were alerted and a search down below the falls began. Those bodies are halfway to SF Bay by now.

[catabryna]

5. Oh please...

there is cell phone service in Yosemite. If there weren't, no one would go there. It is California afterall.

eta: I had cell phone service at 9,000 foot elevation in the middle of nowhere in California.

[Drale]

6. There is cell service in some parts of the park

mainly around the edges of the park, I haven't been there in a while so I can't say if there is service at these falls.

[kestrel91316]

7. Care to be more specific about what you think is so "odd" about this "story"?

Other than, of course, the fact that three young tourists deliberately ignored safety warnings and died for their stupidity??

[tularetom]

2. I've been up there in the early summer and it's scary

Especially after a wet snowy winter. The rocks are wet slippery and treacherous. There are signs fences etc. warning you to stay the f*#k away. They are there for a reason, yet it seems like every year somebody ignores the warnings and goes over the side.

It's hard not to feel bad that three human beings lost their lives, even if it was totally due to their own stupidity.

[Mz Pip]

3. I've hiked that trail

and even when the water isn't at a peak level it's foolish to stand out on the rocks.

It's really sad. These young people thought they were invincible I guess.