BREVARD, N.C. - A 23-year-old Melbourne man died Tuesday night after he fell more than 75 feet from Moore Cove Falls in the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina, according to the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office.
Walace Rice Parish was visiting friends in the area when the accident occurred, a news release states.
Authorities received a call at 5:10 p.m. reporting that Parish was climbing up the side of the falls and across the falls when he fell about 10 feet and landed on a ledge. Then he fell an additional 50-75 feet.
The Transylvania County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement responded to the scene. At this time the fall appears to be accidental, according to authorities.
Transylvania County EMS and Transylvania County Rescue Squad were also on scene.
Parish was located at the base of the falls and resuscitation efforts were attempted until it was determined that his injuries were fatal.
Moore Cove Falls is on a hiking trail in the Pisgah National Forest about 0.7 miles from U.S. 276 between Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock.
In the county, Tuesday's death marks the eighth waterfall death to-date in 2016, according to several authorities. The last death occurred at Rainbow Falls in July. The victim was also from out-of-state.
According to Transylvania County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Eddie Gunter, most waterfall accidents or drownings involve tourists.
"It is rarely the people who live here," he said.
Often, visitors aren't well-educated about waterfall safety, Gunter added.
