A woman died in Arizona earlier this week after she plummeted 20 feet off a cliff in the Coconino National Forest near Camp Verde, authorities said Wednesday.
Search and rescuers responded to a call from a woman on Monday stating her friend had fallen from a cliff in an area known as “The Bluffs” and was no longer visible, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said.
The area is about 200 feet above West Clear Creek, officials said.
Multiple volunteer services, along with the fire department and a Department of Public Safety helicopter, were called to help search the steep and treacherous terrain, according to the sheriff’s office.
NEW YORK HIKER FOUND DEAD AFTER 3-DAY SEARCH OF NATURE PRESERVE
A view of the West Clear Creek from the eastern end of West Clear Creek Wilderness. A woman died after falling 20 feet off a cliff on Monday. (U.S. Forest Service )
As the dangerous conditions made the search for the fall victim difficult, deputies eventually located the woman using binoculars.
The woman, identified as 44-year-old Jennifer Petri, was located at the base of a cliff just above the water’s edge.
The woman reportedly fell from an area known locally as “The Bluffs,” located about 200 feet above West Clear Creek, authorities said. (U.S. Forest Service )
The helicopter crew lowered a trooper to Petri’s location and determined she was dead. The body of Petri was airlifted out of the canyon, officials said.
HIKER DIES ON ARCHES NATIONAL PARK TRAIL IN UTAH, SECOND DEATH WITHIN A MONTH
It was not immediately clear how Petri fell from the cliff.
Detectives are investigating the circumstances of Petri’s death.
West Clear Creek carves its way through the West Clear Creek Wilderness, a 13,600-acre area located on the Red Rock and Mogollon Rim Districts of the Coconino National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service says.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The lower areas of the canyon that the creek cuts through are popular recreation sites for swimming, hiking, trout fishing and wildlife watching, according to the agency.
West Clear Creek is located about 60 miles south of Flagstaff near Camp Verde.
