American Teenager Falls More Than 300 Feet While Sightseeing in Switzerland

A 16-year-old American girl died when she tripped and plunged more than 300 feet down an embankment while taking a sightseeing walk in Switzerland, authorities said Monday.

First responders who rushed to save her found the young girl's lifeless body near the Trient River, below a popular pedestrian path, Valais canton police said in a statement.

The teenager, who has not been identified, was with her best friend and her family when she fell, police said. The friend's father found himself pinned against a rock wall as he went to help the girl who had tripped, they said.

He was rescued and was not injured, Valais police said. The emergency response included two helicopter crews, two regional rescue teams and emergency psychologists, police said.

No other injuries were reported.

The U.S. Embassy in Switzerland and Liechtenstein did not immediately respond to a request for information.

An investigation into the causes of the young girl's fall was opened by the local prosecutor's office in collaboration with the Valais police, according to the police press release.

The fall occurred in the Gorges Mystérieuses sector in Tête Noire shortly after 10:30 a.m., police said.

The destination, popular with international hikers, is near the border with France, about 90 miles northwest of the Matterhorn alpine summit by road.

The Swiss government's tourism agency said the Tête-Noire trail dating from around 1884, featuring stone steps and footbridges, descends about three-quarters of a mile to the bottom of a gorge.

The walk includes views of “idyllic waterfalls” and the Grotte aux Nymphes, described by the agency as “an authentic natural cathedral hidden under gigantic rock slabs leaning against each other”.

It is not described as particularly dangerous, with the tourist agency saying it is suitable for visitors aged 6 and up, although it is not accessible for wheelchairs or those with physical difficulties and disabilities. disabilities.

Spring in Valais was perilous. In April, three skiers, including a 15-year-old American boy, were killed in an avalanche on the slopes of Riffelberg, near the Matterhorn, police said.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com