By MELISSA KOENIG, US REPORTER and CLAUDIA AORAHA, DEPUTY HEAD OF NEWS and ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 21:22 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 03:40 BST, 31 August 2026
One hiker has been found dead and at least 14 others are missing after flash floods tore through the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Parts of the scenic canyon were hit by significant flash flooding on Saturday around 2.30pm, sweeping hikers and backpackers off the trails near the Colorado River.
By Sunday evening, authorities said they were searching for 15 unaccounted people, after initially claiming that 20 hikers were missing. That had been a working estimate, park officials explained.
But hours later, the National Park Service announced that the body of a 46-year-old man had been recovered near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River.
The victim's identity has not yet been released, while the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office investigates.
The other missing hikers are believed to have been trekking on routes near the Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area of the national park.
Authorities are asking for the public to help identify people who were traveling near the North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch.
This includes anyone that was staying at Bright Angel Campground, or traveling or staying in the area known as 'the Box' north of Phantom Ranch.
The missing hikers are believed to have been trekking on routes near the Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area of the national park
All footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed in the freak weather event, meaning that pedestrians cannot get across the creek, which has flooded
Debris is seen being taken downstream during the flash flooding
It is unclear who the 14 missing people are, or where they are from.
But 62 others were evacuated from the park yesterday amid the flooding.
