Hiker drowns trying to save woman who fell into Tennessee creek
The man and woman who drowned were part of a small group hiking the Rainbow Lake Trail. (Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security)
Two people drowned while hiking near a trail in Tennessee on April 28 after a woman fell into a creek and a man attempted to save her.
The woman was identified as 23-year-old Greffania Merilus, of Cohutta, Georgia, and the man as 20-year-old Gullson Elve, of Birchwood, Tennessee, according to News Channel 9 in Tennessee.
Merilus and Elve, who officials told the news outlet were "close friends," were part of a small hiking group.
Signal Mountain Police said officers responded to a 911 call about two people going underwater near Rainbow Lake Trail in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.
FOX News reported that first responders hiked roughly a mile down the trail when they found a woman waiting for them to arrive.
A woman told officers she was with a group of three to four people who hiked on the trail to a large creek.
One woman in the group attempted to cross the creek but fell and went underwater. FOX News noted that a man from the group then jumped in to save her, but the pair never reappeared.
First responders jumped in the water to locate and rescue the man and woman.
After the deaths of Merilus and Elve, Signal Mountain Town Council Member Susannah Murdock told Local 3 News in Tennesseethat she is pushing for more signs along the trail to warn hikers about possible dangers in the area.
FOX News contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.