A Merritt man taking photos of a waterfall along the Coquihalla Highway this week fell and injured his head, resulting in his death in hospital the following day.

The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed in a statement Thursday that 51-year-old Steven Robert Thomas had died at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster on Wednesday.

The statement said Thomas was trying to photograph a waterfall just off the highway on Tuesday when he fell off a cliff and sustained a fatal head injury.

According to Hope RCMP, the accident happened about 30 kilometres north of Hope on the Coquihalla Highway, or Highway 5. The police were called out at about 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Const. Tracy Wolbeck of the Hope RCMP said Thomas had left his vehicle and was climbing down the embankment to take photos.

"He lost his footing and fell approximately 30 feet (10 metres)."

An air ambulance carried Thomas to Royal Columbian Hospital, which listed him in critical condition. However, he did not recover from his injuries.

Thomas died in the early morning hours on Wednesday, said Wolbeck.

"This is so tragic," she said. "Our hearts and thoughts are with the victim's family at this very difficult time."

The B.C. Coroners Service said that Thomas's family has been notified of his death and asked that the media respect the family's privacy at this time.