A 39-year-old Singaporean tourist lost her life after falling from a cliff at Minnewaska State Park near Kerhonkson in Ulster County, New York, according to reports.
The incident occurred on December 22, 2023, as Nur Aisyah Binte MD Akbar was hiking with her husband, Abdul Rauf Bin Mohd Said, 41, on the park’s Beacon Hill Trail.
The couple, both from Singapore, were taking photographs near the cliff’s edge when Akbar lost her footing and fell nearly 70 feet. This accident was reported to have happened shortly after 1 p.m. local time. Immediately after the fall, Bin Mohd Said called for emergency help.
Responding to the 911 call, New York State Police along with several other agencies, including State Park police, park operations staff, state DEC Forest Rangers, and local emergency medical technicians, arrived at the scene.
The State Police’s aviation unit was involved in the rescue operation, hoisting Akbar from where she had landed. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, who tried to resuscitate her for almost three hours, she was pronounced dead at Ellenville Regional Hospital.
Bin Mohd Said, in a Facebook post, expressed his grief and regret over the incident. He mentioned that they were enjoying the scenery before the accident occurred, and he wished that he had been the one to fall instead.
The couple, co-founders of a real estate investment firm, were known to travel frequently to the US for work. Akbar was remembered by her husband as a compassionate animal lover and someone who deeply cared for people around her.
Minnewaska State Park, located in the Town of Rochester, is a popular spot for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and rock climbing.
