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Contact: Maureen Oltrogge, 928-638-7779 Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7922
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – At approximately 8:45 this morning the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center, located within Grand Canyon National Park, received a 9-1-1 call from Phantom Ranch and a call from an emergency phone located at Boat Beach near Phantom Ranch with reports of three individuals in the water. Witnesses stated they saw three individuals jump into the river near Boat Beach and were last seen being swept downriver. Park rangers are currently conducting an aerial search of the river below Boat Beach and have personnel staged on the river near Pipe Creek approximately 1 ½ mile below Boat Beach. Park rangers are also staged at Phantom Ranch, which is located approximately ½ mile below Boat Beach and a park ranger is with family members that were with the individuals at the time of the incident. Additional personnel from Grand Canyon’s River district are in route and will join search operations on the river. The National Park Service is also being assisted by a boat crew from a commercial concessioner, Diamond River Adventures, at Pipe Creek. Water temperatures in the Colorado River in this area, range from approximately 49 – 52 degrees. Additional details will be forthcoming as they become available. -NPS-
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Last updated: February 24, 2015