Pennsylvania woman drowns near St. Mary Falls

On Sunday afternoon, a 26-year-old Pennsylvania woman drowned after falling into the water above St. Mary Falls on the east side of Glacier National Park.

According to witnesses, the woman was washed over the falls and trapped under water for several minutes. Bystanders pulled her from the water below the falls and administered CPR until emergency responders arrived. Park rangers and Babb ambulance personnel took over CPR upon arrival. ALERT helicopter landed nearby at about 6:20 pm and assisted with resuscitation efforts but the victim never regained consciousness. Resuscitation efforts were terminated at about 7 pm and ALERT personnel pronounced the woman deceased.

In a press release posted this afternoon, the park made a few clarifications:

The woman who drowned near St. Mary Falls on the east side of Glacier National Park Sunday has been identified as 26-year-old Gillian Tones from North Apollo, Pa.

It was first reported that Tones went into the water above St. Mary Falls but witnesses later clarified that she slipped on wet, slick rocks and fell into Virginia Creek between St. Mary and Virginia Falls, about 200 yards above the trail bridge. Tones was quickly swept up by the cold, fast moving water and went over a series of smaller waterfalls, then was pinned underwater by a log for several minutes until heroic efforts by other park visitors led to pulling her from the river.

Park dispatch received multiple 911 calls routed through Glacier County dispatch at approximately 5:20 pm. Park rangers were on the scene by approximately 5:45 pm.

ALERT flew the body to the 1913 Ranger Station near St. Mary, MT where they were met by the Glacier County coroner at about 7:30 pm. The coroner is transporting the body to the medical examiner in Missoula, MT for an autopsy.

The death is under investigation and additional details are still being gathered.

Park staff would like to thank Glacier County, ALERT, Babb Ambulance and US Border Patrol for their support, along with numerous bystanders for their immediate assistance.

The park extends their deepest condolences to family and friends of the woman and asks that the public respect their privacy.



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