The Ministry of Tourism today said that when the Kaieteur Falls is reopened to visitors following a suicide there yesterday there will be restricted access until further notice.
A press release from the Ministry of Tourism follows:
A team from the Guyana Police Force travelled to Kaieteur National Park today as investigations continue into the suicide of a female visitor yesterday, November 21, 2015. The visitor was part a group that had just finished their tour of the Falls, and was being led back to her aircraft, when she turned and sprinted back towards the Falls, jumping into the gorge. The pool at the base of the Falls is being monitored for signs of the visitor, while preparations have commenced to secure and extract the body, once it becomes visible. This operation will be led by Special Forces of the Guyana Defence Force, due to the dangerous and extremely rugged terrain below the Falls.
The Kaieteur National Park remains closed today, but preparations are underway to reopen the Park with restricted access to various points. Specifically, visitors will no longer be able to access the edge of the Falls or the area where the visitor jumped. These restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
Updates on the recovery efforts and operations at the Park will continue to be provided as they become available. The Ministry of Tourism looks forward to the cooperation of the general public with the new restrictions, as we seek permanent solutions to address this disturbing trend of misusing the Falls.
