GRAND COUNTY, Utah, June 28, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Hopes of rescue have faded and the search for a couple missing since June 21st flooding Friday became a recovery effort.
“The Grand County Sheriff’s Office regrets to announce that the search and rescue operation for Ray and Maranda Ankofski, who went missing on June 21, in Grand County, has transitioned to a recovery effort,” the sheriff’s office announced Friday night.
The couple had embarked on the Steel Bender off-road trail southeast of Moab on June 21. “Concerns arose when Ray and Maranda failed to return as scheduled and their vehicle had been reported as abandoned.”
Family released the names of the Texas couple earlier this week, noting Ray, 58, and Maranda, 51, were last heard from at 12:20 p.m June 21. Later in the 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.
The resources being used in the response and search included ground search teams, helicopters, dogs and other specialized equipment, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday, with agencies including Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Mesa County (Ariz.) 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.
Friday’s press release said the list had grown to include search and rescue teams from San Juan, Washington, Utah and Cache counties.
“Despite exhaustive efforts, including the use of advance search techniques and resources, Ray and Maranda Ankofski have not been located. The decision to transition from a search and rescue mission to a recovery was made based on evidence at the scene during the operation.
“The Grand County Sheriff’s Office is shifting towards closure for the family and friends of Ray and Maranda Ankofski.”
