3rd Body Found in Yosemite River

Discovery is likely waterfall victim Ramina Badal
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 6, 2011 1:10 AM CST
3rd Body Found in Yosemite River
Rangers believe a body found near Vernal Fall is that of Ramina Badal.   (AP Photo/The Badal family, file)

Yosemite park rangers believe a grim find in the Merced River will allow them to close the books on one of the park's worst tragedies. A body discovered in the river is believed to be that of 21-year-old Ramina Badal, the third of three young hikers swept over a 317-foot waterfall last summer, AP reports. Another body found trapped under house-sized boulders last week has been identified as one of the victims. The bodies were likely found because the river is at its lowest level of the year. The first body was found in August, just weeks after the tragedy.

The trio—members of central California's close-knit Assyrian Christian community—had stepped over a guardrail to pose for a photo. Badal slipped on the wet granite, and her two male companions fell as they tried to save her. Dozens of witnesses looked on helplessly as they were swept over the edge. "What I will take away with me forever is the look on that grown man's face as he was floating down that river knowing he was going to die and nobody could help," said a witness. (More Merced stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X