Tourist dies after falling 177ft from waterfall while trying to take a photo

| Live News Reporter Published August 12, 2026 1:16pm Updated August 12, 2026 1:16pm Zachary Nicholas Mertens fell to his death at the beauty spot (Picture: Getty) A man has died after plunging to his death while trying to take a picturesque photo at a waterfall. Zachary Nicholas Mertens, 20, fell 177 feet after slipping in an area of Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. He had been trying to snap a photo at the South Falls when he lost his footing and fell into the water below on Monday evening. Mertens, from Kentucky, was in a closed area of the park. Witnesses tried to perform CPR but he was pronounced dead shortly after the fall. Regional park manager Chris Gilliand told the Statesman Journal: ‘It was a pretty horrific accident. A very tough situation.’ Last month, two adults and a child died after falling from Germany’s tallest observation tower. The family were found at the bottom of the 213ft wood-and-steel structure in the Harz Mountains in Germany. Firefighters went to the scene but they were declared dead. The structure, which cost around €10 million to build, features two observation decks and a ‘skywalk’ with a glass floor at a height of 45 metres. An elevator provides access, but the tower can also be reached via stairs. Another way down is via a 110-metre-long slide. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Trump says he ‘just followed orders’ for secret plane swap Arrow MORE: Former US Marine reunited with family after Russia releases him from four-year imprisonment Arrow MORE: Warning after US beaches see a surge in flesh-eating bacteria News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.