23-Year-Old CA Man Plummets 600 Feet To His Death At Popular Waterfall: Report

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA — A 23-year-old man died after he reportedly fell near 600 feet as a rushing waters swept him down a popular waterfall in Yosemite National Park.

A witness who was visiting the park on June 20 when the incident occurred at Nevada Fall told the SFGATE she dove into the water fully clothed to try to save the man.

Freesia Gaul, a 20-year-old former lifeguard, said she saw the man when he was in the upstream of the waterfall.

"The number one rule in lifesaving is don’t create a second victim," she told SFGATE. "But when you see someone like that, when you make direct eye contact with someone who you know is going to go over, you can’t turn around."

Gaul said she struggled in the water and almost died trying to save him; a bystander extended their walking stick which Gaul held onto to prevent herself going down the waterfall.

Search and rescue crews responded to the incident about an hour later and recovered the victim in the water and pronounced him dead.

The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Josue Baires Alfaro. The agency said Alfaro was visiting the park with his family when the incident occurred.

On Monday, the National Park Service said it was investigating the incident.