A woman died Saturday after she fell into the Colorado River, authorities announced Monday.
The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center said they received a call around 2:00 p.m., about a passenger of a commercial river trip who had fallen into the Colorado River.
Authorities say 47-year-old Sheetal Patel, of Chicago, Illinois, was “cooling off along Pipe Creek Beach, when she was caught by the current in the Colorado River.”
“Patel hiked into the canyon to meet the river trip at Phantom Ranch, and was beginning a multi-day boating trip.”
Sheetal Patel, who lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but was originally from Chicago, had hiked into the canyon for the start of a multi-day river trip, officials said. https://t.co/EiX3GzppC6
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After Patel fell into the river, guides managed to reach 47-year-old Sheetal Patel by boat and dragged her out of the water before performing CPR.
“All attempts to resuscitate the individual were unsuccessful,” according to the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center. “Park rangers were flown into the location by the park helicopter and pronounced the individual deceased.”
Authorities are investigating the incident and provided no additional information. (RELATED: Teenager Goes Whitewater Rafting, Gets Brutally Mauled By Crocodile)
A similar incident unfolded in March when 68-year-old Mary Kelley of Steamboat Springs, Colorado “entered the [Colorado] River at the top of Hance Rapid,” authorities said in a statement. Kelley was part of a private boating trip. Members of the group managed to pull her from the water but were unable to resuscitate her, according to authorities.