Australian diplomat finds death in New York, falls off the balcony

An Australian diplomat has found her death after falling from a tower balcony in New York while associating with friends.

Julian Simpson, 30, accidentally fell from the balcony saw on the seventh floor of a tower in Manhattan and fell on the second floor.

The U.S. media reported that he was on the ledge as part of a joke with a friend when he suffered the fatal fall.

Simpson was an official representing Australia in the United Nations, writes the eye.net. Police were called to the scene around 0100 and Simpson was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Simpson had been at dinner with his wife and friends when he returned home to see the building of the Empire State, which was lit up to celebrate the approval of gay marriages in Australia, police said.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the accident a “shocking tragedy”.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she was saddened by the death of Simpson, whom she had recently met in New York.

“Juliani was a diligent, professional and very capable diplomat whose support I appreciated extremely much during the UN Leaders Week,” she said.