Distracted while walking using an electronic device led one man to a deadly 60-foot fall off a San Diego cliff on Christmas Day.
San Diego Lifeguards have confirmed that a man walking near the Sunset Cliffs just before 5 p.m. on Friday fell to his death while distracted by his electronic device. NBC 7 quoted lifeguard Bill Bender as saying, “Witnesses stated seeing someone distracted by an electronic device and he just fell over the edge.”
The lifeguard went on to say, “(He) wasn’t watching where he was walking, he was looking down at the device in his hands.” No device was immediately found according to the report. Lifeguards said that the device the man was seen distracted with leading up to the fall may have been a phone or camera.
Three people nearby during the accident rushed down to try and resuscitate the man, but were unsuccessful. Bender was reported as saying of the three, “They put themselves at jeopardy…They administered CPR to the person in attempt to save a life.”
Young 13-year-old Thor Wilink ran to bring a rope from his home in response to screams. He told reporters that he heard, “Help, please God, save me.” When Wilink heard another voice yell for climbing equipment the young Yosemite climber grabbed his and went off to join the rescue attempt. He told reporters that he saw a woman yelling down to two CPR-proforming surfers.
The victim’s name was not immediately released, but was described as a man in his thirties. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Bender told the local news outlet, “Just like driving and using a cell phone, you don’t want to be walking and using a cell phone or be distracted or anything,” while warning that people need to take note of their surroundings.
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