A Singaporean tourist, aged 39, tragically died after falling off a cliff in Minnewaska State Park near Kerhonkson, Ulster County, in upstate New York.
The event took place on December 22, 2023, when Nur Aisyah Binte MD Akbar and her 41-year-old husband, Abdul Rauf Bin Mohd Said, were hiking on the Beacon Hill Trail within the park.
While taking photographs near the edge of the cliff, Akbar slipped and plunged almost 70 feet. The incident took place shortly after 1 p.m. local time, promptly followed by Bin Mohd Said dialing for emergency assistance.
New York State Police, alongside several other agencies such as State Park police, park operations staff, state DEC Forest Rangers, and local EMTs, responded to the emergency call.
In the ensuing rescue operation, the State Police’s aviation unit lifted Akbar from her landing spot. Despite nearly three hours of resuscitation attempts by medical personnel, she was declared dead at Ellenville Regional Hospital.
In a subsequent Facebook post, Bin Mohd Said expressed his profound sorrow and regret over the event. He described a joyful moment appreciating the view before the tragic fall, wishing he could have taken his wife’s place.
The couple, who co-founded a real estate investment firm, were frequent travelers to the US for business purposes. Bin Mohd Said remembered Akbar as a person who loved animals deeply and cared immensely for those around her.
Minnewaska State Park, situated in the Town of Rochester, New York, is a favored location for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and rock climbing.
