Park officials have not released the names of the hikers, but the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department in Southern California said Sgt.
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Within hours of entering Keyhole Canyon, dark skies unleashed fierce rains that sent water surging through the chasm, sweeping the group to their deaths Monday. Twelve bodies were recovered on Tuesday, some of them miles downstream in Arizona.
The last known victim is a child, officials have said.
Three canyoneers who entered Keyhole after the group of seven passed them at the first of several short rappels.
Someone who knew the group alerted park officials Monday that they hadn’t checked in after their trip.
Purcell said park rangers would only decline to issue a permit in the event that an official flash flood warning was posted. She said personnel from multiple agencies are looking for Mertlich.
Linda Arthur is pictured in a Facebook photo.
The victims’ vehicles were found on Monday evening and search efforts started Tuesday, the park service said in a statement. Deputy Eugene Kostiuchenko, also based in Camarillo, was killed on duty last October when he was hit by a vehicle while walking along Highway 101 after an unrelated traffic stop.
The family of Steve and Linda Arthur said the couple “will be forever loved by their three children Bobby, Justin and Allison”.
Dramatic rescue throughout flash floods caught on digital camera.
“She leaves a hole in our hearts and our lives that will never be filled”, a statement said.
Since then, floodwaters have killed six others in the park, most recently a man drowned in 2014, she said. Once inside a canyon, there is no way to contact individuals of changing conditions.
“Today’s tragedy also serves as a reminder to residents and those visiting our state to take appropriate precautions and be aware of the factors that contribute to unsafe flash floods”, Herbert said. “Please keep the Arthur family in your thoughts and prayers”.
Early reports showed at least 12 people died, but the accounts increased to 17 on Wednesday afternoon.
Debris carried by the flash flood apparently helped push the water dozens of feet outside the streambed, sending the water behind the vehicles and sweeping them downstream as the flood carved a 35-foot chasm in the ground. Only three children survived.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Patricia Carter says Merlich’s body was recovered about 7 miles south of the Utah line and 6 miles from his heavily damaged SUV. Gary Favela, 51, of Rancho Cucamonga, and Muku Reynolds, 59, of Chino, were also in the group.
Flash-flood fatalities are rare in Zion, which is visited by more than 3 million people a year.
“We’ll be having some meetings, some after-action reviews to make sure everything was done right and see if there is anything we can do better next time, but things are pretty much wrapping up now”, David Eaker, a spokesman for the park, said afterward.
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Exploring slot canyons found in the desert Southwest can require a combination of hiking, climbing, swimming and caving.
