Grand Canyon tourist dies after falling into Colorado River while boating, rangers say

A Grand Canyon tourist died after falling into the Colorado River, park officials said.

Sheetal Patel, a 47-year-old from Tennessee, died Saturday, June 11, while on a commercial river trip through the canyon, park officials said. She had fallen into the river and was swept away in the current.

“Commercial guides were able to reach the woman by boat,” park officials said Monday, June 13. “The commercial guides pulled her from the river and began CPR.”

National Park Service officials rushed to help Patel and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate her, and she was pronounced dead by park rangers.

Before Patel fell into the water, she had hiked into the canyon to meet up with her river trip at Phantom Ranch. It was the beginning of a multi-day boating trip.

“Patel was cooling off along Pipe Creek Beach, when she was caught by the current in the Colorado River,” officials said.

Park rangers and the county medical examiner are investigating the incident.

The death is at least the second fatality in the park this month. On Thursday, June 2, a 41-year-old woman from Ontario died on the park’s most popular hiking trail as bystanders rushed to help, rangers said.

Grand Canyon officials have recently seen a significant increase in search and rescue operations. There were 411 incidents last year, which was more than the park had seen in at least 20 years, according to the National Park Service.

In April, a 34-year-old Grand Canyon camper plunged 20 feet to her death while on a river trip, officials said.

A month earlier, a Colorado woman died on the ninth day of a boating trip through the canyon, officials said. Members of her boating group pulled her from the water and began CPR.

Last year, multiple hikers died in extreme heat in the Grand Canyon. Park rangers said there are ways to hike and stay safe in brutal temperatures, including:

• Carry and drink plenty of water and plan to replenish electrolytes
• Eat twice as much food as normal and have salty foods on hand
• Carry a first-aid kit
• Pack essentials only
• Bring a flashlight with spare batteries to hike during the cool evening
• Spray yourself with water to cool down
• Have a hat and sunscreen as protection from the sun
• Have a whistle or signal for emergency use
• Wear waterproof clothing

This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 3:41 PM with the headline "Grand Canyon tourist dies after falling into Colorado River while boating, rangers say."