Falling rocks hit the top of a vehicle traveling on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, killing a 14-year-old Utah girl.
Park officials say the rock slide happened at about 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 12, near the East Tunnel on the scenic highway.
In addition to killing the girl—identified as Ayva Sparrow—rocks also injured her parents and two other children in the vehicle, the park said in a statement.
Park officials say her parents suffered significant bruises while the other children had minor injuries.
Rocks ranging from fist-sized to 12 inches in diameter fell from an unknown height, shattering the vehicle’s rear window.
An ambulance that responded could not airlift Ayva because of her unstable condition, the park said.
Flight paramedics traveled with her using ground ambulance to Kalispell, Montana. She died while being transported to a local hospital, the park said.
“The two adults suffered significant bruises and were transported to area hospitals. The two other children in the vehicle had minor injuries and also went by ambulance to the hospital,” the park said.
Family Trip to Canada
A GoFundMe campaign set up to help the family said that the girl traveled through the park during a family trip to Canada.
Family friend Daniel Walker told KUTV that the community was rallying around the family, which according to the news outlet, has asked for privacy.
“It’s a true loss to the community, obviously a true loss to their family,” Walker said. “We are going to miss Ayva.”
The girl was on vacation with her family in Glacier National Park when rocks fell on the family's car. "It's a true loss to the community, obviously a true loss to their family. We are going to miss Ayva."
تم النشر بواسطة KUTV 2News في الخميس، ١٥ أغسطس ٢٠١٩
A donation page has been set up on GoFundMe with a $20,000 target to help funeral costs.
“Any extra money will be given to the family to supplement their income allowing them the time they need as a family,” said the description on the site.
The last fatal injury from rockfall on the Going-to-the-Sun Road was in 1996 when a vehicle was struck, according to the park.
Glacier National Park
Founded in 1910, and drawing in almost 3 million visitors a year, Glacier National Park squeaks into the top 10 list of the most popular of America’s 60 designated national parks.
With tourist season in full swing in summer, the number of accidents at national parks rises.
At the end of last month, a tourist died after slipping on wet boulders below a waterfall in Yosemite National Park in California.
Epoch Times reporter Simon Veazey and The CNN Wire and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
