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LEEDS, Washington County — A man in his 20s died Wednesday after falling about 40 feet in Yankee Doodle Canyon, officials said.

The man — whose identity has not been released — was with three others in their 20s when the incident occurred. The others are OK, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The victim's friends reported the fall around 4 p.m., according to Darrell Cashin, search and rescue liaison for the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

One of the friends led two medics and some search and rescue members to where the victim was. The medics found the victim was deceased.

Cashin said the victim and his friends were canyoneering, and he slipped.

Search and rescue crews are setting up a 600-foot high-angle rope to hoist the man's body out of the canyon. Hurricane Valley fire officials and a Washington County Sheriff's Office sergeant also responded to the scene.

The rescuers are working in 33-degree weather, and the sergeant on-scene will bring the victim's friends out of the canyon. More details will be posted as they become available.

Contributing: Dave Cawley

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