Man missing after falling from cliff at Washington state park

May 30 (UPI) -- A man fell off 35 feet off a cliff in Palouse Falls State Park in eastern Washington and is presumed dead after trying to take a selfie with his girlfriend, authorities said.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said the unidentified 25-year-old man from the Spokane area likely fell into the Palouse River, just above the falls around 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Palouse Falls State Park includes 105 acres and is named after the 198-foot Palouse Falls on the Palouse River.

The Spokesman-Review reported a witness said a young woman was found climbing up the rocks and screaming that her boyfriend had fallen after taking pictures.

Rescuers from several agencies searched the area for several hours. Because the water was moving so quickly, search crews waited until Tuesday to search underwater.

On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies told KHQ-TV it has become a recovery operation.

The park contains unmarked trails at the falls. In late 2015, temporary fencing was placed to keep hikers off the dangerous trails. In 2016, the trails were reopened.