ARIZONA, USA — At the end of a four-day-long search, Jetal Agnihotri of Tucson was found deceased in the Virgin River near the Court of the Patriarchs in Zion National Park, Utah on Monday. Jetal had been swept away by severe flash flooding in the park on Friday, Aug. 19.
“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the friends and family of Jetal Agnihotri,” Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park superintendent said.
Park officials offered their condolences and thanked the more than 170 responders who joined in the search and rescue efforts.
Around 2:15 p.m. on Friday, the park received reports that multiple hikers had been swept off their feet by a flash flood in a region called the Narrows near The Temple of Sinawava.
It was later in the evening that the National Park Service got reports that Jetal was overdue from a trip in the Narrows. Park officials said that rangers continued to monitor the river throughout the night, and mobilized a larger search force early the next morning.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Termina en tragedia la búsqueda en Utah de una excursionista de Arizona
The search ended on Monday, Aug. 22 when Zion Search and Rescue team members found Jetal in the Virgin River roughly six river miles south of the Narrows, officials said.
The agency thanked the following partners for their assistance:
- Bureau of Land Management
- Color Country Interagency Fire Center
- Kane County Search and Rescue
- Hurricane Valley Fire District
- National Park Service staff from Grand Canyon National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- Springdale Police Department
- Utah Search Dogs
- US Forest Service
- Washington County Search and Rescue
- Washington County Sheriff’s Office
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