A tour guide who is married with a child died after falling into a waterfall and getting wedged at the bottom of an underground hole in Brazil.

Firemen had to divert the course of the river in order to recover the body of the man more than a day after the accident.

Reinan Nascimento Lago, 34, fell into the waterfall and disappeared into the underwater hole that is part of a network of subterranean passages at the Swallow Falls (Andorinhas) in the municipality of Iramaia in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia on the afternoon of 6th December.

His body was recovered by the fire brigade more than 24 hours later only after they managed to divert the course of the river and lower a ladder to reach the bottom of the hole in order to carry out the rescue operation.

It is not clear how the accident happened or if Lago was accompanied at the time.

Lago was from Iramaia and leaves behind a wife and son.

The Iramaia municipal government has released a statement on social media expressing its regret at the incident and offering condolences to Lago’s family and friends.

The municipality forms part of the Chapada Diamantina (Diamond Plateau) region of Bahia, part of which has national park status that is one of Brazil’s most popular tourist destinations.

It is a protected region of great environmental importance with rare birds including the white-necked hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus), Chaco eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) and the ochre-marked parakeet (Pyrrhura cruentata).

Several waterfalls are located in the region that also promotes ecotourism because of its scenic beauty.

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