Tourist dies after being carried over waterfall at Glacier National Park, rangers say
UPDATE: A 26-year-old tourist who drowned after she was carried over a waterfall at Glacier National Park in Montana has been identified, rangers said.
The woman was identified as Gillian Tones, of North Apollo, Pennsylvania, park rangers said in a June 25 news release.
The original story is below.
A 26-year-old tourist drowned after she was carried over a waterfall at Glacier National Park in Montana, rangers said.
Initially, park rangers said the Pennsylvania woman fell into water above above St. Mary Falls on the east side of the park the afternoon of Sunday, June 23, park rangers said in a June 24 news release.
However, witnesses later told rangers the woman “she slipped on wet, slick rocks and fell into Virginia Creek between St. Mary and Virginia Falls,” rangers said in a June 25 news release.
The woman “was quickly swept up by the cold, fast moving water and went over a series of smaller waterfalls, then was pinned underwater by a log for several minutes until heroic efforts by other park visitors led to pulling her from the river,” rangers said.
After pulling her from the water, bystanders started CPR until rescuers arrived, rangers said.
Rangers said they arrived on scene at about 5:45 p.m. after multiple 911 calls came into Glacier County dispatch.
Though rangers and paramedics tried to revive the woman, she “never regained consciousness” and was pronounced dead at about 7 p.m., according to rangers.
The woman’s death is under investigation, rangers said, adding that the county’s coroner will do an autopsy.
The woman’s identity is being withheld until her next of kin is notified, according to rangers.
Glacier National Park is in northern Montana, near the Canadian border.
This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Tourist dies after being carried over waterfall at Glacier National Park, rangers say."
