A body, possibly that of a missing rafter, was recovered from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, park officials announced Monday.
Although the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Arizona has not confirmed the identity of the deceased, the National Park Service said “initial information” suggested the body is that of Thomas Robison.
Mr. Robison, 58, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was declared missing last month. On April 21, he abandoned his 2001 Toyota Tacoma at Lees Ferry along the river inside the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and embarked on a makeshift wooden raft with his dog, an 11-year-old Welsh corgi weighing roughly 25 pounds.
The Colorado River has rapids in Class IV and Class V, according to rafting travel agency Advantage Grand Canyon.
Class IV involves “powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling” with conditions making rescuing yourself difficult, while Class V rapids are even more dangerous, according to the nonprofit group American Whitewater.
The latter category involves “long, obstructed, or very violent rapids which expose a paddler to added risk” with rescues being difficult even for experts.
Park officials did not say whether any remains for either the dog or the raft had been found.