Body of woman swept away by flood waters in Grand Canyon found

The body of a woman who went missing after being swept away by flash flooding in the Grand Canyon last week has been found, the park said in a statement Sunday. 

“Chenoa Nickerson, 33, from Gilbert, Arizona, was discovered by a commercial river trip near river mile 176 in the Colorado River,” Grand Canyon National Park said. Park Rangers retrieved the body and it was then taken to the rim of the canyon by helicopter before being transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner, the park said.

Nickerson was swept into the Havasu Creek by flooding that hit that area of the park on Thursday, park officials said. The Havasu Creek connects to the Colorado River and the park said she was last seen about “100 yards above” where the two bodies of water connect.

Nickerson had been hiking with her husband, according to CBS affiliate KPHO-TV, and was not wearing a life jacket. Her husband was rescued by rafters. Others in the area had also been stranded by the flooding and more than 100 tourists and tribal members had to be rescued, KPHO reported, but Nickerson was the only one who remained missing following initial rescue operations.

After her body was found, Nickerson’s family on social media expressed, “sincere and endless gratitude to the men and women of the National Park Service Search and Rescue team for their tireless, selfless, and courageous efforts. We are profoundly grateful for their dedication and hard work, which have impacted us in ways that words cannot express.”

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

Kerry Breen

contributed to this report.