Man falls 700ft to his death after trying to take photo at clifftop beauty spot

A hiker trying to take a snap on a clifftop beauty spot has died after falling to his death, authorities have said.

Richard Jackson was camping with a friend on top of the Flatiron Trail summit in Arizona when he slipped and fell roughly 700ft and died.

A friend, who has not been identified, made an emergency call to police in the early hours of Monday morning to report the 21-year-old's fatal plunge.

It is reported that Jacobson went "to the edge to take a photo" and then lost his footing, a sheriff of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office has said.

Jackson's body was retrieved from the Flatiron peal in the Superstition Mountains, with the help of a helicopter from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Speaking to Fox10, Sergeant Doug Peoble said: "He slipped and fell. I can tell you that during our investigation, there [were] no signs of foul play.

"No signs of drug use whatsoever. It was just a very tragic accident".

He added that Jacobson's friend was "very distraught" about being left there at the site of the accident, and was airlifted from the site.

Peoble added: "He was torn up pretty bad emotionally. We were able to get a helicopter to him".

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According to AllTrails, a hiking website that profiles trails in the area, lists the 5.5 mile Siphon Draw Trail as one of the most popular ways to reach Flatiron peak.

The trail takes most hikers around four hours to complete, with commenters on AllTrails adding their thoughts on the tricky hike.

Reviewers on the website called the hike a tough and challenging one, with commenters warning of "fatigue related slips and falls" that should be avoided.

One commenter, Bill Howard, said: "[I] live nearby and have seen many a helicopter evacuation, typically about 1/2 way down around the saddle."

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