New Jersey Man Dies While Taking Photos Of Sunset: Officials

A New Jersey man fell to his death while visiting a national park Monday night as he was taking photos of the sunset, according to the National Park Service.

Mark Simon, 68, was visiting Acadia National Park with his family when authorities believe he accidentally fell from a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Maine, according to northjersey.com.

John Kelly, a spokesperson for the National Park Service, told northjersey.com Tuesday afternoon that Simon and his wife had parked near the Ocean Path, a walking trail near the ring road that runs along the park's perimeter.

The Glen Ridge man had a backpack, tripod and camera with him, and he had apparently set up his equipment to take photos at the bluff's edge around 7 p.m. Around 9:30 p.m., Simon's wife flagged down a group of park rangers when Simon had not returned to the car, according to the report.

Rangers found Simon's backpack at the bluff's edge and spotted Simon's body at the foot of the bluff, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Simon’s wife had stayed in their car in a nearby parking lot when Simon walked to the shore shortly after 7 p.m. to take photographs, according to the report.

Because of Simon’s location, rangers requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and Mount Desert Island Search & Rescue. His body was taken to the Bar Harbor town pier, then was taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Augusta, according to the report.