GRAND COUNTY, Utah, June 25, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A family member has confirmed the man and woman missing after Friday flooding in Grand County are Ray and Maranda Ankofski, a Texas couple that visits southern Utah for vacations.
Ray, 58, and Maranda, 51, were last heard from at 12:20 p.m. Friday.
Later that same day, Grand County and the Moab area experienced a severe thunderstorm that washed out trails and roads, causing flooding and rockslides, and stranding at least 20 hikers who were safely evacuated.
“Truck was located at Steel Benter OHV Trail and ATV was located in a ravine,” says a social media post issued by another family member. “Please be on the lookout if you are in this area or see anything. Please contact Moab Police station with any leads or tips!”
The all terrain vehicle was found Monday, according to a Grand County Sheriff news release issued Tuesday. It was located in the Steel Bender Trail area, southeast of Moab.
The resources being used in the response and search Tuesday include ground search teams, helicopters, dogs and other specialized equipment, the GCSO statement says.
Agencies involved include Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Mesa County Search and Rescue, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, the Utah Department of Public Safety, Classic Air Medical and the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
“Our top priority remains the swift and safe resolution of this situation,” the GCSO statement says. “We would like to thank the public for any assistance and its cooperation in staying clear of the area. We will provide more information when it becomes available.”
The Grand County Sheriff’s Office is “asking the public to avoid the Steel Bender Trail area while the search is ongoing,” it added.
Gephardt Daily will share updates as information is released.
