Young man dies ‘trying to take a photo’
A young man, who fell to his death yesterday from a cliff at Albany’s popular tourist attraction The Gap was reportedly trying to take a photo.
Seven News reported the man, who had recently moved to Australia to study, was with friends when he fell off the clifftop after attempting to get a photo.
A witness who called triple-0 just after 2.30pms said the man was “mucking around” with his friends off the designated path when he fell over the edge.
The witness, who did not want to be named, said the victim hit several rocks as he fell about 40m down the cliff face, before landing on a rock at the base of The Gap.
The man appeared to be unconscious when he was swept into the ocean by a wave moments later.
“I was calling triple-0 and I had to stop his friends from jumping in after him and going over the edge,” the witness said.
Rescue crews arrived and searched for the man who was spotted floating in the water west of The Gap.
Albany Sea Rescue volunteers retrieved the man’s body from the water just before 4pm.
Great Southern police district Supt Dom Wood said it was a tragic event.
“A young male has gone into the water, and sadly lost their life. This is such a tragic event,” he said.
“It was a surprise to get a call such as this.”
Supt Wood said it was a horrible situation for family, those involved and first responders.
He said the man was visiting The Gap with four friends who saw him fall in.
“We always tell people to take precautions when down in this area,” he said.
“It is a dangerous area but if you take precautions and stay between the bounds, then these things won’t happen.”
The tourist hotspot reopened in April 2016 after a $6.1 million redevelopment.
The work has included pathways and raised walkways, with the main attraction being two cantilevered lookouts that extend 10m off the 40m cliff face.
The death is the second fatality along the coastline this year after the death of Samuel Roth who was swept from the rocks while fishing at Lowlands, west of Albany.
It also comes after the rescue of two fishermen who were washed off rocks at the nearby fishing spot Salmon Holes last month.
This article originally appeared on PerthNow.
