Woman dies in rock climbing incident in S.D.

FALLING ROCK – Authorities say a 39-year-old woman has died as a result of injuries sustained from a fall while rock climbing in western South Dakota.

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Department says emergency personnel responded to a report of an injured rock climber around 5 p.m. Saturday in Falling Rock. Members of the county’s search and rescue team were able to extricate the victim and she was then airlifted to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Falling Rock is a limestone canyon about six miles outside Rapid City. The area’s visitors bureau says Falling Rock’s climbing is on edges and pockets on vertical to slightly overhanging walls that are about 40 feet high.

The victim has not been publicly identified pending family notification.

Authorities say they are investigating the incident.