A woman died over the weekend after falling at least 75 feet from a hiking trail while visiting a waterfall in North Carolina, according to officials.
Astrid Angelina Madrid Ticas, 29, was identified as the victim who fell on Sunday around 1:30 p.m. at Big Bradley Falls near Saluda, North Carolina, Polk County officials wrote in a news release Monday.
“As a community, Polk County extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms. Ticas during this difficult time,” the county said.
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Authorities were called to the Big Bradley Falls Trailhead at Holbert Cove Road in Saluda, with crews from Saluda Fire and Rescue, Mill Spring Fire Department, Polk County Emergency Management and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office dispatched to the scene.
“Upon arrival, crews discovered that a mid-to late 20-year-old female had fallen an estimated 75 to 100 feet. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries at the scene,” the county wrote in an earlier release on Sunday.
Rescue personnel worked diligently to recover the victim, the county said, adding that it urges the public to exercise caution while visiting trails and natural areas.
It remains unclear how the woman fell.
Big Bradley Falls is a 75-foot waterfall located in a small gorge along Cove Creek near Saluda, according to the Blue Ridge Mountain Life website.
“Big Bradley Falls is a gorgeous waterfall that is difficult to reach, and somewhat dangerous to even view. The most popular trail to the base of the falls requires a hike down a steep trail, followed by a 20-foot rope descent down a cliff side,” the website said.
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The incident on Sunday comes a week after another victim died at a different waterfall in the state. Yoseph Alabdulwahab, 25, drowned at the base of Steele Creek Falls in Pisgah National Forest, according to Burke County Emergency Services. Steele Creek Falls is about a 75-mile drive from Big Bradley Falls.
