Tennessee woman dies at Grand Canyon National Park after falling into Colorado River, officials say
A woman from Tennessee died over the weekend after falling into the Colorado River at Grand Canyon National Park, officials said.
The 47-year-old woman, identified as Sheetal Patel, was cooling off along the nearby Pipe Creek Beach when she was caught by a current in the Colorado River on Saturday, park officials said.
The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of a passenger on a commercial river trip who had fallen into the Colorado River at about 2 p.m.
Commercial guides were able to reach Patel by boat and pull her from the river to begin CPR.
She was pronounced dead by park rangers.
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Patel had hiked into the canyon to begin a multi-day boating trip from Phantom Ranch, park officials said.
In coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner, the National Park Service is investigating the incident.
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"Before heading down trail, hikers are strongly encouraged to read the Hiking Tips page and check the Backcountry Updates and Closures page for current information on inner canyon conditions," the Grand Canyon National Park said in a news release, adding that visitors should watch "for signs of distress in traveling companions" and make sure they receive enough rest throughout their visit. "The NPS does not recommend hiking from the rim to the river and back in one day."
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Contributing: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY
Follow Haleigh Kochanski on Twitter @HaleighKochans.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tennessee woman dies at Grand Canyon after falling into Colorado River
