Hiker falls to his death in front of tour group after posing for a photograph at the top of Brazilian cliff

Published: 14:03, 30 June 2026 | Updated: 14:09, 30 June 2026 A thrill seeker plunged almost 500ft to his death when he fell off a cliff in Brazil after posing for a photo at the scenic spot. Caio Arrabal, 44, fell from the Pedra do Macaco trail on Sunday in Marica, Rio de Janeiro after climbing on top of a rock formation at the summit and losing his balance. Horrifying footage filmed by a woman in the group shows him positioning himself in a narrow gap on the large rock. The hiker then begins to descend the rock backwards before turning his body to face forward as the woman warned him to be careful just moments before the fatal accident. Chilling screams from onlookers were heard as he attempted the maneuver and lost his footing on the cliffside and fell approximately 492ft.  Emergency crews were called to the scene at around 11.40am and launched a search operation, where firefighters and civil defence teams worked for around four hours to reach the location, using rope systems and aerial support due to limited access. Mr Arrabal was part of a group guiding visitors from Araruama along the hiking route and it was reportedly his first time on the trail. Caio Arrabal, 44, fell from the Pedra do Macaco trail on Sunday in Marica, Rio de Janeiro after climbing on top of a rock formation at the summit and losing his balance The thrill seeker plunged almost 500ft to his death when he fell off a cliff in Brazil after posing for a photo at the scenic spot Local officials note the trail completely lacks directional or warning signs along the route. Rescue instructor Matheus Moura assisted in the operation and described the recovery as complex due to dense forest and steep ground. He said teams had to climb and use rope ascents to reach the hiker, who was already dead by the time he was located. The instructor also noted that Mr Arrabal went down the wrong side of the rock before the fatal fall.  Visitors commonly climb the rock for photographs and the tragic death marked the second fatal hiking accident in Marica in less than two weeks. Rosemary Garcia, 59, fell from a cliff at a zip-line park at the Spar Cave on June 14. She was taking part in a group activity of around 15 people when she followed a short, steep trail towards a rappelling point inside the cave - a famous complex for adventure sports. Witnesses said she was fully equipped with safety gear, including a helmet, gloves and other protective equipment, as she moved along the route. Emergency crews were called to the scene at around 11.40am and launched a search operation The hiker was part of a group guiding visitors from Araruama along the hiking route and it was reportedly his first time on the trail Rosemary Suzart Garcia, 59, fell from a cliff at a zip-line park at the Spar Cave, in Marica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, just two weeks before According to accounts given to police, the fall occurred as Garcia applied insect repellent to her body while standing on the incline. Her foot reportedly slipped when she lifted one leg, causing her to lose balance and fall towards a steep drop. The woman is said to have been thrown towards the precipice before falling from an estimated height of around 98ft. A guide who was close to Garcia attempted to grab her but was unable to prevent the fall due to the steep terrain. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.