The man whose foot was discovered floating in a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park three months ago has been recognized by authorities, the park announced on Thursday.
The event on July 31 morning claimed the life of Il Hun Ro, 70, a Los Angeles resident, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
On August 16, his foot in a shoe was discovered floating in a hot spring in Wyoming.
According to the park service, no one is thought to have witnessed what happened, and it is unclear how he died. Investigators have no reason to believe there has been wrongdoing.
The statement read, “Based on a lack of proof, the circumstances behind Ro’s death remain unexplained.”
According to the park service, identification was made using DNA evidence. It has been informed of the family.
In the West Thumb Geyser Basin, the Abyss Pool is about 140 degrees Fahrenheit hot. According to the park’s website, it is one of the deepest hot springs in the area, measuring more than 50 feet.
Since 1890, more than 20 fatalities are documented to have occurred in Yellowstone’s thermal features, according to park officials.
Two people were hurt in the area’s hot springs last year, one of them was a 20-year-old woman who severely burned herself after entering Maiden’s Grave Spring to save her dog. The dog was removed, but he later passed away.
Visitors are advised by Yellowstone National Park to always stay on boardwalks and trails and to proceed with great caution while near the features.
