3 Die in Plunge off Vernal Falls – Yosemite, California Accident

Tuesday July 19, 2011 a group hiked up to to Vernal Falls

Was this really an accident or was it intentional disregard for all the warning signs placed.  Going over the guard rails is like committing suicide.

The three Ninos Yacoub, 27, Hormiz David, 22, and Ramina Badal, 21 where on a day trip from Central California with a church group and family.

The names:

Ninos Yacoub, 27, of Turlock,

Hormiz David, 22, of Modesto

Ramina Badal, 21, of Manteca.

The three disobeyed the signs that clearly warned against going around the guardrails. In addition it is reported that people that saw them go around the rail pleaded with them to not go that it was dangerous, apparently first one went into the water and then another went and the two got swept in and the third tried to go in after them to save them and within seconds the three went over and fell to their deaths.

Vernal Falls
Photo by Tim Hawkins

Several have gone there before and did not survive the over 300′ fall.  We hope that some good will come from this accident, bringing greater awareness of the dangers of disobeying the posted signs.

I’ve been to the top of Vernal Falls in Yosemite and clearly saw the signs that this was not a place to be getting too close to the edge even behind the guardrail. The force of the hundreds of gallons of water per second that rush over the edge is an amazing sight.

The year I went with my brother and cousin we hiked further upstream from the falls about half a mile or so to an area where it was calm and there was still water, a protected area, you could still see the raging water off in the distance, but it was pretty calm a few feet in. Just enough to get in the water and cool off. But maybe that is risky.