US Tourist Falls to Death From Pagoda in Myanmar

An American tourist fell to her death from a 20-foot pagoda in Myanmar Tuesday.

According to the AFP news agency, 20-year-old Kassandra Braun was trying to get a better view for a photo of the sunset in the country's ancient former capital of Bagan when she accidentally fell around 4:30 p.m. local time Tuesday.

A statement from the Home Affairs Ministry said Braun died en route to the Mandalay General Hospital.

Braun was a student at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She was studying abroad with Semester at Sea.

"The family is absolutely devastated by the tragic death of their daughter and sister, Kassandra 'Kassie' Braun," her family said in a statement obtained by Austin's FOX 7. "They are still waiting for further details about what happened but would like everyone to know that Kassie was having the time of her life on Semester at Sea and was living her dream."

According to AFP, it's not uncommon for travelers to scale the Wuttanathaw pagoda and other temples in Bagan to get a better view of the destination's more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments, which are spread out over a vast plain.

Last year, local authorities began cracking down on the dangerous practice in an effort to protect visitors as well as preserve the religious structures. Last year, a Spanish tourist has reportedly kicked out of Myanmar after local monks spotted a Buddha tattoo on his leg.

READ MORE: Can I Still Safely Travel in Myanmar?

Recently, at least two American tourists fell to their deaths while taking photos. A 26-year-old man plunged off a 100-foot cliff while taking scenic photos at Montana's Glacier National Park in July and a 44-year-old photographer was killed after falling more than a dozen stories from the LondonHouse Chicago hotel last month.

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