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YOSEMITE VALLEY, Calif. — Yosemite National Park rangers are searching the area around Vernal Falls after reports that one or more hikers may have been swept over the falls, park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said.
"We received phone calls from visitors at the top of the waterfall reporting that one or multiple people went into the water," Cobb said in an interview with msnbc.com.

Officials at the central California park sent 30 rescue workers and rangers to search for the missing hiker or hikers, and closed a half-mile portion of the Mist Trail, Cobb said.

According to NBC Fresno affiliate KSEE, witnesses said a man and woman climbed over the guardrail for a better view of the 320-foot waterfall.

They reportedly encouraged their children to climb over too. Before the children climbed over the rail the parents began to slip, KSEE reported. A male family member who jumped over the guardrail to help also fell over the edge of the falls, KSEE said.

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That's sad for the families and the responders. Unfortunately, it was an absolutely textbook Yosemite incident, by far the most popular way to cash in ones chips there.

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Today's count is up to three:

Three people who climbed over a guardrail in Yosemite National Park, fell into the raging Merced River and plunged over Vernal Fall remain missing and are presumed dead, the park service said Wednesday. The trio was identified as Hormiz David, 22, Ramina Badal, 21, both of Modesto, Calif., and Ninos Yacoub, 27, of Turlock.

The trio was visiting the park on a day trip with a group of family and friends when the tragedy occurred around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the park service said in a statement.

"The group was witnessed entering the water above Vernal Fall, approximately 25 feet from the precipice," it said. "Witnesses reported to park officials that several people urged the group member to step back from the river, since it was flowing swiftly and extremely cold. The area is signed as a dangerous area, and the group had crossed a metal guardrail placed there to keep visitors away from the dangerous fast moving water.

[Jim_H]

Today's count is up to three:

There's a daily death count in Yosemite now?

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There's a daily death count in Yosemite now?

With the high water from a big winter snowpack, it might come to that. There have been six water-related deaths and two others in Yosemite in the last two months.