Student swept over falls presumed dead

NIAGARA FALLS, O.N. (WIVB) - A young woman was posing in front of Niagara Falls while a friend snapped a picture, when she slipped, plunging into the rushing water.

The young woman was a 19-year-old student from Japan studying in Toronto. Authorities say she stood up on a railing while holding an umbrella, and lost her balance. She was 80 feet from the brink of the Horseshoe Falls.

Cari Wilson from Vancouver said, "I wish I had said something."

On Sunday, Wilson had noticed the woman sitting in a risky position before standing up to have a picture taken.

"She was sitting here, and one leg on either side, and she was just sitting very casually, and her girlfriend was sitting here, and they were just kind of chatting," said Wilson.

Parks worker Daniel Ramos said, "All of a sudden everyone started screaming, like yelling, "Look, look, look!" So I looked, and I was over there so you can see the edge, and she just like, phoom!"

Even after the tragic plunge, visitors were taking risks on the railings, not feeling the danger.

"I assumed that it would dangerous to fall in, but I just wanted to take a quick picture, nothing serious," said one tourist.

Niagara Parks Police Chief Douglas Kane said, "Do you know we have about 11 million people a year that attend here? Most leave home, arrive here, and they leave safely. If you decide, if you're a young adult, and you chose to climb over a restraining barrier, unfortunately there's consequences. In this case, they were tragic."

There was an air search down river around the whirlpool. The woman was not found, but the body of an unidentified male was discovered by Erie County Sheriff's Captain Kevin Caffery.

"We searched the area looking for the girl. Unfortunately, we weren't able to find the young lady. However, we did find another body that was in the whirlpool rapids," said Capt. Caffery.

Also Sunday, a 27-year-old man from London, Ontario tumbled down into the Niagara Gorge just north of the Rainbow Bridge. Friends got help. Rescue crews spent hours bringing the man up. One emergency worker had to be freed after getting tangled in trees.

Niagara Parks Police, who have surveillance video, said the incident was "a tragic accident." Authorities are working with the Japanese consulate general to notify the victim's family.