Utah woman dead after falling during Grand Canyon hike
34-year-old woman falls 20 feet and sustains fatal injuries on sixth day of boating trip
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Your support makes all the difference.A woman has died after falling around 20 feet (6m) in the Grand Canyon National Park.
Meg Osswald was the assistant director for the Utah Division of Water Quality, previously serving as the assistant attorney general at the Environment Division of the Utah Attorney General’s Office, according to her LinkedIn page.
The Grand Canyon National Park Service (NPS) said in a statement that they were alerted to the incident on Monday at around 6.30pm.
“Grand Canyon National Park was alerted of an unresponsive river trip participant near Ledges Camp (river mile 152) along the Colorado River,” NPS said.
“Due to darkness, Grand Canyon National Park requested Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) emergency helicopter response. DPS arrived on scene at Ledges Camp at approximately 8.30pm and pronounced the individual deceased,” the agency added.
“Margaret Osswald, 34, of Salt Lake City, Utah was near camp when she fell approximately 20 feet and sustained fatal injuries. Members of the group noted she was unresponsive and began CPR,” the agency said.
Ms Osswald had “hiked into the canyon to meet the river trip at Phantom Ranch and was on day 6 of a multi-day private boating trip”, according to NPS.
The incident is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our thoughts and support go out to her loved ones at this difficult time,” the Division of Water Quality said in a statement.
Ms Osswald graduated from the University of Utah SJ Quinney College of Law in 2016 and passed the Utah state bar that same year.
It’s the second fatal incident in just 11 days in Grand Canyon National Park. Mary Kelley, 68, recently died during a boating trip when she fell from her raft and into the water.
So far this year, four people have died in the park, according to a spokesperson.
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