A witnessed described a rock "the size of an apartment building" falling from near the Waterfall Route on the rock formation's East Buttress, near Horsetail Falls. The slide occurred at about 1:55 p.m. local time. Park officials are using rescue helicopters to search for other climbers who may have been trapped by the rockslide. It is unknown if anyone was trapped, or if there were any additional injuries.
Happened at 1:52pm pic.twitter.com/j7Vo0XwR67
— Jon Kameen (@JonKameen) September 27, 2017
Yosemite climber sent us this photo. He says a piece of granite the size of an apartment building came crashing down the Waterfall Route. pic.twitter.com/agFA0YjVPc
— Christina Fan (@ChristinaABC30) September 27, 2017
#BREAKING one person killed, another injured after rockfall at El Capitan at #Yosemite. LIVE VIDEO: https://t.co/FZv7cfTV8l pic.twitter.com/N8FTi8EX4v
— Derek Schnell (@DerekKCRA) September 28, 2017
BREAKING: Rescue efforts continue after a rock slide on popular #Yosemite climbing route kills one, injures another. Photo: Dakota Snider pic.twitter.com/ceremaEOuu
— John Shrable (@JohnShrable) September 28, 2017
It is the height of Yosemite's climbing season, and the imposing granite El Capitan is arguably the most popular climbing destination at the park. Famous American climber Alex Honnold become the first person to free climb the nearly 3,000 rock face on June 3.
