Salt Lake City Two men were found dead after floodwaters poured into a narrow canyon near the Utah and Arizona borders, endangering three groups of hikers who had to be lifted by helicopter. The first man found dead was in a group of three hiking south to Lees Ferry across the Utah and Arizona border, Kane County Sheriff Lt. Allen Aldredge said. Another man in the group was rescued and taken to hospital, where he was being treated for hypothermia and physical injury days after the exposure.
Authorities found a second body Wednesday afternoon across the Arizona border. Although they could not immediately confirm he was the man identified as missing earlier in the week, Aldredge said they were “very confident he was the missing person” and called off an additional search.
Eldredge said authorities received a call on Monday from the wife of a hiker who had not returned home after a trek they started on Friday. Hikers have been on a multi-day trek from Wire Pass to Lees Ferry through the sandstone features of Buckskin Gulch that include many narrow slot canyons.
Sumiko Scott/Getty
Authorities have not released any of the hikers’ names. Aldredge said the first man found dead was from Tampa, Florida.
the “atmospheric river” storms The floodwaters that swept through parts of the western United States last weekend raised the water level in the canyons before additional floodwater seeped into the slot canyons early this week. Authorities continued the search for the missing park as the weather forecast predicted additional rain on Wednesday.
Two helicopters from the Utah Department of Public Safety and another park helped locate the second body found Wednesday. Called to the initial group of three, Department of Public Safety helicopters helped pull out 11 more people Tuesday who were stuck in freezing floodwaters and called for help.
Brian Schnee, of CBS News affiliate KUTV, shared on his Twitter a dramatic video captured by cameras aboard Public Safety Agency helicopters as they spotted and then rescued a stranded hiker.
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