A tragic accident has claimed the life of a young climber in Yosemite National Park in USA after he fell from the iconic El Capitan while livestreaming on TikTok.
The victim, 23-year-old Balin Miller from Alaska, was attempting the ascent when he lost his life on Wednesday. His mother, Jeanine Girard-Moorman, confirmed the news, saying: “He’s been climbing since he was a young boy. His heart and soul was truly to just climb. He loved to climb, and it was never about money and fame.”
Miller had reached the summit but reportedly fell while trying to retrieve bags that had become stuck on a rock as he hoisted them up. The fatal moment was captured during his livestream, leaving fans in shock. One viewer wrote: “He made it to the summit, but he had to retrieve his bags as they got stuck on a rock as he was hoisting them up. As he was trying to retrieve the bags, he fell to his death, all caught on the livestream.”
Park rangers and emergency responders acted quickly, but Miller did not survive. His death marks the third fatality in Yosemite this summer. The National Park Service confirmed that the incident is under investigation.
The tragedy coincided with the first day of the US government shutdown, which has left national parks operating with reduced staff and limited services. Conservationists have urged visitors to avoid the parks during this period. Kristen Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association warned: “You’re really walking into a situation not knowing what facilities are going to be available to you. We wouldn’t recommend going into them over the weekend… you’re really taking your chances going in with a limited staff that are going to be there.”
