Man dies on river trip at Grand Canyon; 5th fatality in less than a month

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — An 80-year-old man has died after falling from a boat on the Colorado River inside Grand Canyon National Park, authorities said Tuesday.

It’s believed to be the fifth reported fatality at the canyon in less than a month and the 13th this year.

In a news release, a Grand Canyon National Park spokesperson said the incident occurred Sunday afternoon near Fossil Rapid. The man was on a commercial river trip when his boat flipped.

All resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.

The man’s name was not immediately released.

The Park Service and Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office will be investigating the latest death at the Grand Canyon.

Recent deaths

— On July 31, a 20-year-old North Carolina man on a mission trip with his church slipped and fell about 400 feet to his death off the edge of the South Rim.

— The following day, a 43-year-old Missouri man died while attempting to BASE jump from Yavapai Point, falling an estimated 500 feet. Grand Canyon officials said BASE jumping — a high-risk parachute jump — is prohibited in the park.

— On Aug. 8, the body of a 20-year-old New Mexico woman was found about 150 feet below Twin Overlooks.

— Last Thursday, a 33-year-old woman from the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert was swept away in a flash flood while on a hiking trip in the canyon. Her body was recovered Sunday.

A park officials said that on average, there are about 10 to 15 deaths every year at the iconic park and there were 11 fatalities in 2023.