Yosemite Missing Hiker VIDEO, 19-Year-Old Aleh Kalman Presumed Dead After 594-Foot Drop Over Nevada Falls [WATCH]
Aleh Kalman of Sacramento, Calif., is presumed dead after being swept over a nearly 600-foot drop in Yosemite Nation Park's Merced River.
The search for the 19-year-old is on hold until the snow melts fueled waters of the Merced decrease, according to the Examiner.
Kalman was hiking with a church group along Mist Trail, which leads to Half Dome. It was then that the young man decided to stop for a quick dip in the river, approximately 150 feet from the top of Nevada Fall.
"The Merced River is very strong, even in places where it appears calm," said spokeswoman Kari Cobb, according to UPI. "But under the surface, it can be extremely powerful."
According to Cobb, the water temperature was around 50 degrees Farienhight. Search teams, aided by three dog teams, and helicopters from the California Highway Patrol searched for Kalman until dark on Saturday and then resumed the search on Sunday morning, reports The Epoch Times.
Nevada Falls is a 594-foot drop, and although searchers were initially searching the banks for the hiker, Cobb states that they will now only be keeping a lookout for the body, according to the Examiner. the trail below the Falls is currently closed.
"We do believe that it is impossible to survive a fall like that," Cobb stated, according to the Examiner.
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