Body of hiker missing in Grand Canyon found four days after being swept away by flood

The body of a woman who went missing in the Grand Canyon National Park following a flash flood was recovered on Sunday, according to park rangers.

Chenoa Nickerson, 33, from Gilbert, Arizona, was swept into Havasu Creek above the Colorado River around 1:30 pm on Thursday. She was not wearing a life jacket.

Her body was discovered by a commercial river trip in the Colorado River and was airlifted to the rim by park rangers on Sunday.

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Nickerson had been hiking along Havasu Creek, approximately half a mile from its confluence with the Colorado River, when the flash flood occurred. Her husband was among over 100 people who were safely evacuated from the area.

Her sister Tamara Morales thanked the National Guard and the National Park Service rescue teams for their efforts. Posting on Facebook, she said: "We are profoundly grateful for you and fully acknowledge that you are currently defying the impossible."

Search and rescue operations, including ground teams and aerial patrols, worked to locate Nickerson's body.

The flash flood trapped several hikers in the area above and below Beaver Falls, a popular tourist spot known for its blue-green waterfalls on the Havasupai Tribe's reservation. The area is known for flooding which turns the iconic waterfalls a chocolate-brown color.

The National Park Service launched motorized boats on the Colorado River, downstream from Havasu Creek and the floodwaters that carried Nickerson away, amid te evacuations.

Other hikers managed to reach the village, located about two miles from the campground, where they awaited helicopter evacuation. Governor Katie Hobbs activated the Arizona National Guard, including Blackhawk helicopters, to assist in evacuating hikers from the village.

Guard officials reported that an estimated 104 tribal members and tourists near Havasupai Falls were evacuated since Thursday after being stranded by the floodwaters. The Havasupai Tribe's reservation, known for its isolation in the continental US and only reachable by foot, mule, or helicopter, has been hit by severe flooding that washed away bridges, prompting a series of helicopter evacuations.

Rochelle Tilousi, a member of the Havasupai tribe, said the helicopter evacuations commenced as soon as the bridges collapsed.

She said: "I know that our tourist office, some local men, first responders are all out toward Mooney Falls, out toward the Colorado River, on foot, that are also checking."