GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (WBTV) – A 20-year-old college student from Hickory died while on a mission trip after he fell 400 feet from the Grand Canyon this week.

The National Park Service (NPS) said Abel Joseph Mejia fell Wednesday morning and his body was later recovered by rangers using a high-angle technical rescue system.

Officials said Mejia was about a quarter mile west of the Pipe Creek Overlook when he accidentally fell. The NPS and Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating his death.

Indiana Bible College confirmed on social media that Mejia attended the school and said “he was known for his warm smile and gentle spirit, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew him.”

A church his family was involved in said in their own post that Mejia was on a mission trip when the fall happened.

Joelle Baird of the Grand Canyon National Park said Mejia was in a group of about six people when he fell. She said accidental falls are rare, and Mejia’s was the first at the Grand Canyon since 2022.

Park staff said they encourage visitors to stay on designated trails and walkways, and to stay at least six feet from the canyon’s edge.

The portion of the canyon where Mejia fell remains open to the public.

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