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Body of missing Zion National Park hiker who was swept away in flash floods found

Zion Hike Reservations
Posted at 4:00 PM, Aug 23, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-23 18:00:53-04

ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah — Officials at Zion National Park said the body of a missing hiker was discovered on Monday, three days after she was swept away in flash floods.

Jetal Agnihotri's body was found in the Virgin River near the Court of the Patriarchs, which is within the park about six miles south of the Narrows.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the friends and family of Jetal Agnihotri,” Zion National Park superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a statement.

Agnihotri disappeared Friday as flash floods hit the Narrows section of the park. At the time, the National Park Service had received reports of hikers being swept up by the flooding.

It wasn't until later in the evening that park employees learned the 29-year-old Arizona woman was overdue from a trip to the Narrows.

Mostafa Javadian, who was with Agnihotri before she disappeared, told KSTU that he and another friend had left the area after hearing about flash flooding. Instead of joining the other two, Javadian said Agnihotri wanted to stay and explore the Narrows.

More than 170 crew members from various agencies were involved during the multi-day search.

Jeff Tavss at KSTU first reported this story.