Kayaker Fatality on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, Ariz., On Tuesday, March 18 at approximately 6:30 p.m. the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a call via satellite phone reporting a fatality on the Colorado River. The victim, a 31 year old male, was part of a private river trip of nine self-supported kayakers nearing the end of a 12 day river trip.

Curtis Joyce of Portland, OR was discovered capsized and unresponsive in his kayak near river mile 189 also known as the Lower Whitmore camp. Members of the group attempted CPR, however all attempts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful. Due to the time of day and approaching darkness, rangers were not able to fly into canyon until this morning, when they recovered the body.

An investigation in the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner. No further information is available at this time.

-NPS-