A tragic incident occurred at the Grand Canyon where a 41-year-old male hiker was found dead after camping overnight at the bottom of the canyon. The hiker, who remains unidentified, was discovered 'unresponsive' along the Bright Angel Trail just east of the Pipe Creek River Resthouse on Sunday morning, as confirmed by the National Park Service (NPS).
Despite efforts by bystanders and NPS personnel to resuscitate the individual, their attempts were unsuccessful. The hiker was on his way out of the canyon after spending the night at the Bright Angel Campground near Phantom Ranch.
An investigation into the incident is currently underway by the NPS in collaboration with Coconino County authorities. This unfortunate event follows reports of numerous hikers falling ill with a mysterious sickness while visiting Havasupai Falls near the Grand Canyon National Park.
Several visitors to Havasupai Falls experienced severe illness, with some being too unwell to hike back out of the canyon and requiring helicopter assistance. One visitor, Maylin Griffiths, shared her harrowing experience of falling seriously ill during her trip to the falls to celebrate her 40th birthday.
Griffiths recounted experiencing gastrointestinal issues and escalating sickness, leading to high fevers and the need for urgent medical attention. She and a friend in her group had to hike several miles back to a village within the canyon to seek medical help.
The Havasupai Tribe Tourism Office reassured the public that water sources on the reservation are regularly tested for safety, with the most recent assessment conducted by the Havasupai Water Department on June 6 confirming the water's suitability for human consumption.