40-year-old man falls 200 feet to his death while canyoning in the national park

A 40-year-old man fell about 200 feet to his death while canyoneering with three others in Utah's Zion National Park, authorities confirmed.

According to a statement from the National Park Service, the incident occurred Saturday as the group of four was following their permitted route through Heaps Canyon when the man fell about 200 feet.

“Upon receiving a report of the fall, the Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and provided emergency medical care,” park officials said. “The man was transported by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to a helipad near Watchman Campground where he received additional assistance from Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue and Intermountain Life Flight.”

However, the man was pronounced dead before he could be transported to a hospital by rescue helicopter.

“On the morning of October 6, two of the three remaining canyoning pioneers were safely rescued by a DPS helicopter,” the National Park Service said. “Zion’s search and rescue team assisted the third in rappelling out of the canyon and safely reached the ground around 2 p.m.”

Zion National Park and the Washington County Sheriff's Office are still investigating the man's exact cause of death, authorities said Sunday.

The park's response involved more than 50 rescuers from the Zion Search and Rescue Team, Springdale Police Department, Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue, Washington County Sheriff's Office and Intermountain Life Flight, the National Park Service confirmed.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” said Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent of Zion National Park.