01 February 2023 , 15:34
888
0
A man has died after falling off a 70ft cliff while trying to film a video for TikTok.
The body of Edgar Garay, from Indiana, US, had to be recovered from an underwater cave by divers, his brother said.
The 27-year-old was last seen alive at around 5.30pm on Sunday January 29 near the edge of the cliff by the lighthouse in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rico Emergency Bureau dive unit helped find the man's body.
“We express our most heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Edgar Garay and pray they find closure and strength during this most difficult time,” said Capt. José E. Díaz, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
“We appreciate the efforts of all the Coast Guard, Puerto Rico Police and partner agency emergency responders, especially the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau dive unit that was able to locate Mr Garay’s body in such a highly inaccessible and challenging environment.”
THe lighthouse near where the young men fell (Getty Images)A witness at the scene said she saw Mr Garay stumble towards the edge of the cliff. A Coast Guard helicopter was launched to help with the search.
The victim's brother Carlos told local station WTHR that Mr Garay was with his cousin, who had repeatedly warned him not to get too close to the edge.
He said: “My brother has a TikTok account that he loved to upload videos to.
“Unfortunately, that was what he was trying to do when he was closer to the edge than he should have been.”
This comes after a 13-year-old boy died after taking part in a "blackout challenge" on TikTok while a 17-year-old who did it with him remains hospitalised in a serious condition.
Both unnamed boys suffered cardiorespiratory arrest after taking part in the challenge while filming themselves.
The cliffs near Cabo Rojo (Getty Images)The challenge also referred to as the "choking challenge" and the "pass-out challenge", involves participants asphyxiating themselves until losing consciousness.
The teenagers streamed the incident live on social media.
They were alone at the house in General Roca, Río Negro Province, Argentina, on the afternoon of January 15 when they allegedly did it.
Disabled woman paralysed after falling from wheelchair on plane walkway dies
It is unclear who found the motionless youngsters.
The eldest boy was taken to the Francisco Lopez Lima Hospital by ambulance and was admitted in a serious condition. He has so far been unable to tell the police what happened.
The youngest boy was found dead at the scene and his body was taken to a local morgue to undergo an autopsy.
The teenager’s death was ruled as mechanical asphyxiation by hanging.
Local police stated that the victims’ injuries seem to be connected to their involvement in the online challenge.
Updated reports said the surviving teen is currently in a serious but stable condition.