Zion National Park Flood – Seven Die in Tragic Accident

A freak flash flood Monday at Keyhole Canon in Zion National Park resulted in the deaths of seven canyoneers. Today park officials released details on the fate of the canyoneers and the names of the deceased. According to park officials a flood warning was issued at the park at 2:22 p.m. and canyons were closed to canyoneers. Notifications were made through media sources and posted throughout the park.

At approximately 3:30 the seven canyoneers entered the Keyhole Canon, after several of the group members received an introductory canyoneering course. Flood warnings were given to all permit holders, but a park official acknowledged that once hikers enter the canyon, little can be done to warn them of impending floods. Between 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. nearly an inch of rain fell in Zion National Park causing flash flooding that resulted in the North Fork of the Virgin River to raise abruptly from 55 Cubic Feet per Second (CFS) to 2,630 CFS in 15 minutes.

Park spokesman David Eaker told reporters that the flooding likely rushed over the heads of the canyoneers in moments and carried them miles downstream. “It would be just like a drain, it just funnels down in there very quickly, very fast,” said Eaker.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., while the fate of the seven canyoneers hung in the balance, another group of canyoneers that had just escaped the flooding reported to park rangers that they saw the crew of seven and believed they had been caught in the flood.

The continued flooding and dangerous conditions hampered the search and rescue effort immediately following the sighting of the seven canyoneers. Over the next three days, according to Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh, over 60 searchers from multiple agencies contributed over 1,135 hours in efforts to find the lost canyoneers. The first body was located by searchers on Tuesday at around 1:30; the final body was located on Thursday around 10:30 a.m., an investigation into the deaths is ongoing.

The National Park Service said the seven deceased canyoneers were Mark MacKenzie, 56, of Valencia, CA; Linda Arthur, 57, of Camarillo, CA; Steve Arthur, 58, of Camarillo, CA; Gary Favela, 51, of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Don Teichner, 55, of Mesquite, NV; Muku Reynolds, 59, of Chino, CA; and Robin Brum, 53, of Camarillo, CA.

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Flash flooding in the area also claimed at least 12 other people, including nine children, when two cars were swept away by the raging flood waters.