Body of missing woman swept away by floodwaters near Grand Canyon found in river

HAVASUPAI INDIAN RESERVATION, AZ (KTVK/KPHO/Gray News) — The search for a missing Gilbert woman who was swept away by fast-moving floodwaters in northern Arizona came to a tragic end on Sunday.

On Sunday, Grand Canyon National Park officials say 33-year-old Chenoa Nickerson was found dead by a commercial river trip in the Colorado River around 11:30 a.m.

Park rangers recovered Nickerson’s body, which was then taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

Nickerson was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, hiking with her husband in Havasu Creek.

A flash flood struck the area, and Nickerson was swept into the creek, half a mile above the Colorado River confluence.

The search for a missing Gilbert woman who was swept away by fast-moving floodwaters in northern Arizona came to a tragic end on Sunday.(Arizona's Family/Nickerson Family)

The flash flood forced hundreds to be evacuated from the popular hiking and swimming hole.

On Friday, Gov. Katie Hobbs activated the Arizona National Guard to help with evacuation efforts as the Havasupai Tribe asked for assistance.

The Arizona National Guard provided a helicopter from Friday night to Saturday afternoon to evacuate around 104 people from the Havasupai community.

The National Park Service says the Havasupai Tribal Council decided to close Havasupai Falls until further notice due to extensive damage.

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