Featured Image Credit: Chenoa Nickerson/Andrew Nickerson/Facebook
Topics: US News
Joe Yates
An avid hiker has gone missing after she was swept away during a flash flood at the Grand Canyon.
Chenoa Nickerson was trekking through the Havasupai area of the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, when she was caught in the floodwaters at Havasu Creek, on Thursday.
She was with her husband Andrew Nickerson and the pair had been together until a sudden monsoon thrashed down on them causing the waters to rush and split Chenoa and Andrew up.
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Fortunately, Andrew was rescued by rafters, while Chenoa is yet to be found and a search since has been launched in a desperate bid to find her.
Taking to Facebook on Friday, Chenoa's sister Tamara Morales wrote: "Chenoa and her husband Andrew Nickerson were hiking in the Havasupai area on 08/22/24.
"Andrew reached out to his father via satellite phone on 08/22/2024 at 18:16 reporting that Chenoa and him were caught in a flash flood and that they were both swept away and that Andrew was rescued.
"He said he is at a safe spot camping with a rafting crew who rescued him and that NPS SAR was on sight as of last night.
She added: "Please help us. We are desperate."
While her mom Yvonne Wolters-van Eckeren also wrote on social media: "Please continue to send positive energy and focus solely on the safe return of our daughter/sister Chenoa Nickerson (Wolters)
"We love you and we will not stop searching for you."
The Havasupai Tribe, American Indian people who are believed to have lived in the Grand Canyon for at least the past 800 years, has assisted in the evacuation of the hikers that have been affected by the flash flooding.
The National Park Service has said: "The National Park Service is working closely with the Havasupai Tribe to coordinate these rescue efforts and ensure the safety of all those involved."
Meanwhile, the Havasupai Tribal Council has issued its own statement informing residents that access to the falls is temporarily closed.
It read: "The Havasupai Tribal Council has met with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as well as state and county emergency management services.
"The trail into Supai and to the campground and falls are unpassable, the damage to the campground is extensive.
"Therefore, the Council has made the difficult but necessary decision to close Havasupai to tourists until further notice."
It continued: "Officials will be arriving in Supai over the next few days to assess the damage and to begin the process of clean-up and repairs.
"The Tribal Council's focus is the health and safety of the tribal members and those that provide services in Supai."
Those with information regarding Chenoa's whereabouts in the US should contact the National Park Service's Investigative Services Branches tip line on (888) 653-0009.