Grand Canyon, Ariz. - On Wednesday, Oct. 20, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of a fatality on a private river trip on the Colorado River. According to the report, a member of the party had been hiking above Elves Chasm (located near river mile 117) and had fallen to his death. Trip members had retrieved the body and were already back on the river.
Rangers met the party at Blacktail, approximately three miles downriver from Elves Chasm, where they conducted initial interviews and investigations and retrieved the body. The body was flown via helicopter to the South Rim helibase where it was transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
The deceased has been identified as 52 year old John Kynyk of Goodyear, Arizona.
An investigation into this incident is being conducted by the National Park Service. No further details are available at this time.
-NPS-
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
