Yosemite death goes unreported due to shutdown

A man died after falling into a river at Yosemite National Park on Christmas Day – a death that was not publicly reported for more than a week due to the government shutdown, officials said.

The Yosemite National Park Emergency Communications Center received a call about a visitor with a head injury on Dec. 25, Andrew Munoz, supervisory public affairs officer for the National Park Service, told Outside magazine, which first reported the incident Thursday. Park rangers reached the man within an hour but he died from injuries sustained in a fall in the Silver Apron area, a body of water between two waterfalls.

An investigation into the man's death is taking longer than usual because of the shutdown, Munoz told the magazine. A news release was not issued because of the shutdown, and the park service won't be releasing more details, he said.

Some national parks, including Yosemite, have remained open amid the partial shutdown, which started Dec. 22. Many park employees, however, have been deemed non-essential and placed on temporary leave, causing dirty and sometimes destructive conditions at some parks.

During the shutdown, only about 50 park service staff members are working, down from the typical 800-plus, Outside noted. At least 10 people died last year in the park.

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