Body of Arizona woman who went missing in Grand Canyon after flash flood found

The body of an Arizona woman who went missing in the Grand Canyon National Park after a flash flood days earlier was recovered Sunday, park rangers said.

The body of Chenoa Nickerson, 33, from the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, Arizona, was discovered by a group rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon around 11.30am Sunday, the park said in a statement.

Rangers recovered Nickerson’s body, which was transported to the rim by helicopter and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s office. In a statement issued Sunday, her family thanked searchers and supporters and asked for privacy.

“We regret to inform you that our sweet Chenoa has been found deceased. Our hearts are heavy with grief,” the statement said.

“Chenoa’s light will forever be a part of all of us, and we will ensure that her spirit continues to shine brightly. Her memory will never fade, and we will honor her by carrying forward the joy and love she brought into all of our lives.”

National Park Service officials said Nickerson was swept into Havasu Creek above the Colorado River confluence around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. She wasn’t wearing a life jacket.

Nickerson was hiking along Havasu Creek about a half-mile (800m) from where it meets up with the Colorado River when the flash flood struck. Nickerson’s husband was among the more than 100 people safely evacuated.

The flash flood, which occurred shortly before 1.30pm on Thursday, led to several hikers being stranded in the area near Havasu Creek.

The flood trapped several hikers in the area above and below Beaver Falls, one of a series of usually blue-green waterfalls that draw tourists from around the world to the Havasupai Tribe’s reservation.

The area is prone to flooding that turns its iconic waterfalls chocolate brown.

Other hikers made it to the village, about 2miles (3.2km) from the campground, where they awaited a helicopter ride. Governor Katie Hobbs has activated the Arizona National Guard, including Blackhawk helicopters, to help evacuate hikers from the village.

Operations continued on Saturday and remained focused in the areas around Beaver Falls.

Nickerson’s sister, Tamara Morales, noted the National Guard deployment and praised rescue crews with the National Park Service for “navigating incredibly dangerous terrain with extremely limited methods of communication while leaving no stone unturned.”

“We are profoundly grateful for you and fully acknowledge that you are currently defying the impossible," Morales said on Facebook.

The Havasupai Tribe’s reservation is one of the most remote in the continental US, accessible only by foot, mule or helicopter. The Tribal Council closed the steep, winding trail that leads to the reservation after the flooding and asked visitors with permits through Sunday not to come.

It comes following the deaths of a number of hikers on the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas. The National Park has averaged about 17 deaths a year since 2014. So far this year, there have been 11 deaths at the park.

Three people have died in the past month, according to park officials.

On 10 August, officials announced that the body of 20-year-old Leticia Castillo, of Albuquerque, had been found about 150 feet below the rim of the Twin Overlooks along Desert View Drive.

Authorities believed the young woman entered the park around August 3 and was later reported missing. Her remains were found on August 6, officials said.

One month prior a Texas man died after hiking in an “unforgiving” area of park, which has been known to reach up to 120F in the shade during summer months.