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EMERY COUNTY, Utah, May 11, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A multi-agency search and rescue operation that began Monday afternoon is still underway Monday night near Goblin Valley State Park, with one fatality being reported.
The search is being conducted in Little Wildhorse Canyon after an isolated thunderstorm crossed the San Rafael Swell earlier Monday afternoon and caused flash flooding in area slot canyons, said a statement from the Emery County Sheriff’s Office at about 8 p.m. Monday.
“At least 21 people have made it out of the canyon,” the statement says, “with one fatality currently being reported.”
Search and Rescue teams from Emery County, Grand County, Sevier County, and Wayne County are involved in the search, as well as personnel from the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Park, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Utah Highway Patrol.
Also assisting in the search are two helicopters from Classic Air in Moab and a helicopter from the Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau. Six ambulances from Emery, Wayne and Sevier counties also are on scene.
“Vehicles parked at trailheads led searchers to believe that there are still hikers in the area that are unaccounted for,” the statement says. “The National Weather Service confirms that the main portion of the storm crossed Goblin Valley State Park and that the storm was capable of nickel-sized hail.”
