A sixty two year old male from Phoenix, Arizona died while rafting through Hance Rapid on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Tuesday, November 23, 2004, when the raft he was in flipped over. Two others in the raft were able to swim to shore.
The group of 10 individuals left from Lees Ferry on Thursday, November 18th, and were traveling on a 41,000 cubic feet per second high water release from Glen Canyon Dam at the time of the accident.
The body was recovered by the group below Hance Rapid. Artificial resuscitation was attempted without success.
At approximately 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, Grand Canyon National Park Dispatch received a call from Air Traffic Control located in Los Angeles, California, of a possible fatality at River Mile 78 on the Colorado River. Information had been received at the Center through a ground-to-air transmission.
Park rangers responded by helicopter but could not land anywhere near the reporting party because of the terrain. Rangers were able to encourage the group to proceed 11 miles down river to Phantom Ranch where National Park Search and Rescue crews were waiting.
The body was flown by a National Park Service helicopter from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim this morning, and then transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office in Flagstaff, Arizona. An investigation is being conducted by the National Park Service.