Woman missing in Grand Canyon after flash flood sweeps her into water
A woman is missing after a flash flood stranded several hikers in the Grand Canyon.
The flooding hit Havasu Creek around 1:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, the National Park Service said in a news release. Hikers were left stranded above and below the striking, bright blue Beaver Falls.
Rescue efforts began promptly, park officials said, with an initial flight to assist stranded hikers taking off before 3 p.m.
Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was swept into the creek by the flooding, park officials said. The Havasu Creek connects to the Colorado River. Nickerson is believed to have fallen into the creek about a half-mile from where it connects with the 1,450-mile-long river, park officials said.
Nickerson was hiking with her husband, according to CBS affiliate AZFamily, and was not wearing a life jacket. Her husband was rescued by rafters.
Nickerson is the only hiker not accounted for after the rescues. Search and rescue efforts remain ongoing, the National Park Service said. Anyone with information about Nickerson is asked to contact park officials.
Her sister Tamara Morales said on social media Saturday that Nickerson was still missing. She 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.
A missing person poster described Nickerson as a 5'8" woman weighing about 190 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes and tattoos.
The Havasupai Tribe, which gives hikers access to the Supai area where the falls are, said on social media the area is closed through Sunday. The tribe said it is still working to evacuate the hikers affected by flooding.