SUPAI, Arizona, May 30, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah man drowned on Memorial Day on the Havasupai Reservation in Arizona when he tried to swim into a cave located behind a waterfall.
Mark Magleby, 36, of Orem, died Monday at Beaver Falls, according to a news release from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office received a request from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Havasupai to assist in response to a possible drowning at approximately 3 p.m., the news release said.
“A male camper reported that another male camping with him and a group of friends had attempted to enter a cave behind the falls,” the news release said. “The entry required diving to a depth of several feet before reaching the entrance. Another individual had also tried to enter the cave, but unable to, returned to the surface. After approximately 30 minutes, the friend had not returned and the incident was reported to tribal officials.”
Air West transported a sheriff’s deputy to the falls to coordinate rescue and recovery events with tribal officials. By about 7 p.m. the body of the victim was recovered. The body was transported from Havasupai by DPS Ranger helicopter to the rim, where transfer was made to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.
No foul play is suspected at this time; however, the incident is still under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.
This was the second reported drowning incident in Coconino County over the Memorial Day weekend, the first occurring at Lake Mary, the news release said.
An 18-year-old man from Mesa drowned at Lake Mary, south of Flagstaff.
