Crystal Cascades, Cairns: Tragedy as young tourist’s body is recovered after he failed to resurface at popular waterfalls

The search for a young tourist who went missing at a popular waterfall in far north Queensland has ended in tragedy after divers pulled his body from the water.

The 20-year-old international student went missing about 3pm on Sunday after he jumped from a ledge into the water at Crystal Cascades, west of Cairns, and failed to surface.

Emergency services launched a search and rescue operation to find the young man.

Brisbane police divers assisted in the search and found the young man’s body about 6pm on Monday.

It is understood the tourist was swept downstream after swimming at the top of a series of waterfalls – an area marked as a no-swimming zone.

The alarm was raised after the 20-year-old reportedly spent eight minutes under a waterfall.

Crystal Cascades Waterfall is a popular swimming destination for locals and tourists alike, but is also the site of numerous drowning deaths.

In April 2023, a father and son, aged 59 and 21, were declared dead after being found unconscious in the waters near the falls.

In 2014, an 18-year-old man was also declared dead after he slipped over the edge of the waterfall and failed to resurface.

Cairns Mayor Terry James said more must be done to warn the public about the dangers of swimming in the region’s creeks and waterways, especially after heavy rain.

“At this time of year when we get so much rain, the rivers are flowing very quickly and people don’t realize how dangerous it is,” James told the newspaper. Herald Sun.

A major search was launched for the young man who failed to surface after jumping from a ledge into the water, with police divers locating his body two days later (image from Queensland Police and State of Emergency Services)

Mr James said the council should look at installing graphics to deter swimmers along the clear warning signs on the path to the upper pools at Crystal Cascades.

He added that fencing off the entire areas was “not an option,” but signs like those installed at the Babinda Boulders last year would be helpful.

“Closing off the entire river is not an option (due to) the amount of debris that flows down the river during floods,” James said.

“It’s the same as the Boulders, we have all the signage in the world and you hope people listen.

“It’s one of these things: it’s happening too much and too often. We really need to strengthen our warnings.”

Police are preparing a report for the coroner on the death of the 20-year-old man.