The human body found this week in the Grand Canyon has been identified as Timothy L. Smith, the last missing person following the deadly flood in late August.
The flood death toll rises to three
On Thursday, Smith's wife announced that this discovery has raised the death toll from the flood that devastated the Phantom Ranch area at the bottom of the canyon to three. Timothy L. Smith, ٥٣, was a pilot from Star Valley in Wyoming. His body was found last Monday near the Crystal Falls in the Colorado River that runs through the canyon.
Read more: Carlton Johnson shot and killed two people and fired at the police
A multi-day trip and the occurrence of flooding
The bodies of his two companions, Brent Rosenkranz, ٤٢, and John Giusti, ٤٦, both from Granbury, Texas, had been found earlier. Smith grew up in Granbury and lived with his wife in Star Valley Ranch, which is about ٦٤ kilometers southwest of Jackson. He, Rosenkranz, and Giusti were on a multi-day hiking, fishing, and camping trip when suddenly the flood struck the Grand Canyon.
During the two-day rainfall, searchers used night vision equipment and other devices to find people in need of rescue. They relied on the Grand Canyon National Park permit system and checked vehicle plates to identify those still missing. More than ٨٠ people were rescued, and ultimately only Smith remained missing.
Smith's wife, Keri, thanked the public for their support and prayers in a Facebook video. On Tuesday, she wrote on Facebook that their family was aware of the discovery of a body and asked others to pray for them. Keri Smith confirmed on Thursday in a Facebook post that the identified body belonged to her husband.
She wrote: "My family has been waiting for the past three weeks... waiting and hoping that Tim (Dad) would come home, and waiting and wondering if the body found belonged to Tim or not. There is no more waiting now; Tim was found two days ago by the Grand Canyon National Park rangers. Not in the way we had hoped, but we know he was doing something he loved with John and Brent."
The National Park Service and the Department of the Interior did not immediately respond to email requests for comment on Thursday. These agencies have not yet publicly identified the bodies found this week.
The flooding began on August ٢٩ during the summer rainy season. The rainfall intensified in an area of burn scar in the canyon that had been left after a lightning-caused fire in July ٢٠٢٥. This fire destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, cabins, and other structures.
The flooding damaged a pipeline that supplies water to millions of tourists and residents. The water shortage halted all overnight stays until the pipeline could be repaired. National Park Service officials recently announced that they expect reliable water supply in the canyon to be restored within weeks—not months.
Many hiking trails and camping areas remain closed, and water in the inner canyon has been cut off. Officials warned that hikers should carry their own water or water purification devices.
When a storm hit the canyon on Wednesday, another flood occurred along the Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River. Park officials reported no injuries. They said efforts to reduce the number of visitors in the canyon before the storm, as well as flood warnings, helped rescue personnel.
Read more: Mark Carney accused Trump of abusing trade · Discovery of the helicopter crash site in Borneo, Indonesia
المصدر: abcnews.com
