Date: June 19, 2017
Contact: Emily Davis, 928-638-7609
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – After three days of extensive searching, the National Park Service (NPS) will reduce the scale of the search for missing hiker, 72 year old Raffat "Ralph" Nasser-Eddin of Los Angeles, CA and Lebanon. Nasser-Eddin was last seen near Hermit Camp on the Hermit Trail six days ago on Sunday, June 11, after having entered the canyon last Saturday, June 10.
The search will continue in a limited and continuous mode focused on public outreach and searches during regular backcountry patrols. The NPS will continue to follow up and investigate any new information received. Search efforts included ground and aerial searching. About 50 NPS staff were dedicated to this incident. Record heat, including temperatures over 110 F in the search area, hampered efforts.
Nasser-Eddin is described as 5'10" tall, 170 pounds, with gray hair and green eyes. He was last seen carrying a reusable shopping bag, a gallon jug of water, and wearing a black and white ball cap, a green plaid shirt, and khaki shorts.
A missing persons investigation is on-going. No further information is available at this time. Any individual with information on the location of Ralph Nasser-Eddin should call the NPS Investigative Services Branch tipline at 888-653-0009, text 202-379-4761, or email nps_isb@nps.gov.
-NPS-
