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Man falls 100 metres to his death after taking photos with his wife

A man has died after he fell nearly 100 metres off a famous mountain while taking photos with his wife.

The hiker's wife was alerted to the tragedy when she heard screams at the summit of Mount Willard at Crawford Notch in the US state of New Hampshire.

Turning around, she saw her husband slip off a cliff face, local authorities said.

The couple had been taking photos at the summit on Saturday morning. The Instagram geotag for the summit shows a host of photos where people pose at the cliff edge with the valley as the backdrop.

Rescue workers attend to retrieve the body. Source: NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division
Rescue workers attend to retrieve the body. Source: NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division

The man's wife immediately called emergency services who tackled the icy conditions to locate his body just short of halfway down the 800-foot (243-metre) drop to the bottom.

Crews were able to retrieve his body, taking it back to the summit before carrying it off the mountain. The operation took more than six hours.

The man and woman have not yet been identified.

Selfie deaths on the rise

It's the latest death where people have been taking photos at scenic locations, a growing list that includes the 2020 death of a British backpacker who fell to her death while reportedly taking a photo at Sydney's Diamond Bay.

Last year, an increase in selfie deaths prompted a warning from researchers at the University of NSW.

"People are often striving for the best image and visit picturesque but potentially isolated and risky locations to achieve the perfect shot," Dr Amy Peden, an injury prevention researcher at the School of Population Health, said.

"Trying to capture the best image can mean people are temporarily distracted or have a momentary lack of self-awareness meaning they can be injured or killed."

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