Tourist killed after leaping from waterfall in Far North Qld

Police have issued a grim update in the search for a tourist who went missing after leaping from a popular waterfall.

An international tourist has been killed after leaping from a ledge at a popular waterfall in remote Far North Queensland.

Police were called to the Crystal Cascades, west of Cairns, shortly after 3pm on Sunday after reports a man had leapt from the ledge but failed to resurface.

A search and rescue operation was quickly assembled by emergency services to find the 20-year-old.

Tragically, police divers located the man’s body about 6pm on Monday.

Crystal Cascades is located west of Cairns. Picture: istock

The man reportedly spent eight minutes underwater after becoming submerged under a waterfall.

At the time, he is believed to have been swimming at the top set of waterfalls, which are marked as a no-swim zone.

The Crystal Cascades waterfall is popular among local and international tourists.

In 2014, an 18-year-old man drowned after failing to resurface after slipping over the edge of the waterfall.

A 21-year-old man and a 59-year-old man were declared dead in April 2023 after they were found unresponsive in waters near the falls.