A 20-year-old tourist dies after falling from the top of South Falls in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon. Oregon State Police say Zachary Nicholas Mertens fell at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday and plunged roughly 177 feet.
The reports describe the fall as occurring while he tries to take a photo. All outlets say emergency crews respond after receiving reports that the man fell from the top of South Falls, a waterfall that is about 177 feet high. While one outlet states the height as “about 177 feet” and another as “over 170 feet,” the overall description matches: he slips or falls from the viewing area into the waterfall.
The differing coverage focuses on wording—some emphasize the exact number of feet and others describe him as posing for pictures—but they converge on the same incident, location, time, and victim.
