A 44-year-old hiker died after falling nearly 500 feet from a popular viewpoint in Brazil moments after posing for a photograph, New York Post reported. The victim, Caio Rocha Aguiar Arrabal, had climbed onto an exposed rock at the summit of the Pedra do Macaco trail in Marica, near Rio de Janeiro, on Sunday. The rocky outcrop is a popular spot where visitors pose for photos overlooking the region’s lagoons, despite its reputation for being dangerous.
According to Brazilian media, Arrabal had just finished taking photos when he attempted to climb down. A fellow hiker, who was recording the moment, can be heard warning him to “be careful” seconds before he lost his footing and plunged about 152 metres (500 feet). The video also captured the witness’s screams as he fell.
Authorities said Arrabal was acting as a trail guide for a group of hikers despite not being licensed. Investigators believe he tried to descend from the steeper, incorrect side of the rock, causing him to lose his balance.
Emergency crews from the Marica Civil Defence and local fire department launched a four-hour recovery operation. The rugged terrain and dense vegetation made access difficult, requiring rescuers to use ropes and a helicopter to recover his body. He was pronounced dead at the scene from severe traumatic injuries.
“We had to go in through a densely wooded area with extremely difficult access to reach him. We had to climb, ascend using ropes, and carry out several procedures before getting to the site,” Matheus Moura of the Maricá Civil Defence said.
The Pedra do Macaco trail is a relatively short hike, taking about 40 minutes to complete, but officials say the exposed rock at its summit has been the site of several previous accidents.
Following the tragedy, authorities once again urged visitors to avoid climbing onto the exposed viewpoint for photographs, warning that the dramatic scenery comes with significant risks.
