PROVO, Utah-
A Russian man fell 200 feet to his death while trying to save a 3-year-old girl who had slipped off a mountain path, authorities said.
The girl fell about 75 feet, but survived.
The 46-year-old man slipped and plummeted to his death after trying to grab the girl when she veered off a path leading from Timpanogos Cave, 40 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah County Sheriff’s Lt. Darren Gilbert said Sunday.
Officials believe the girl became distracted looking inside a potato-chip bag and had wandered off the trail, authorities said.
The names of the victim and girl were not released, pending notification of his family. He was visiting from Russia and staying with the girl’s family, Gilbert said.
The girl was airlifted to nearby Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. She was listed in stable condition and was expected to make a full recovery, Gilbert said.
Two search and rescue team members were injured by falling rocks and had to be helped out of the area, Gilbert said.
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