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Missing University of Kentucky student found dead at foot of Red River Gorge cliff

TANTON, Ky. — A hiker found dead at the bottom of a 150-foot drop in Red River Gorge on Tuesday afternoon has been identified as a University of Kentucky medical student, multiple media outlets reported.

Powell County Search and Rescue officials confirmed to WCPO that a body found near the Auxier Ridge area in eastern Kentucky is Gabriella “Gabby” Smith, 24, of Alexandria. Smith was reported missing by her family Tuesday morning after they lost contact with her.

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Lt. Lisa Johnson, a spokeswoman for the agency, told WDRB that Smith went hiking at the gorge Monday to break in a new pair of boots and train for an upcoming hiking trip with friends.

Johnson said that Smith had been carrying a selfie stick but that her last pictures taken were of the scenic gorge, leading search and rescue officials to suspect that she slipped and fell after getting too close to the edge taking photographs, the TV station reported.

She advised hikers at Red River Gorge to never hike alone and to always stay a “body length” away from cliff edges, especially in the days after heavy rain because the wet ground could give way, WCPO reported.

A second hiker fell 60 feet from a cliff’s edge in the same area earlier this week. He survived and remains hospitalized, the outlet reported.