Person falls at Horseshoe Bend, witnesses say

DÁ’DEESTŁ’IN HÓTSAA

A person fell to their death at one of the popular Colorado River overlooks on Valentine’s Day.

The incident happened at Horseshoe Bend around 2:18 p.m., according to witnesses who say the person fell from the edge overlooking Horseshoe Bend, a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River near Page and LeChee, Arizona.

Search and rescue teams later located the body some 1,000 feet below the overlook, said two witnesses.

“I experienced a horrible scene,” said Assad Etemadi, who waited his entire life to see Horseshoe Bend. “I saw an individual (fall) to their death.

“The person was about 20 feet from me on the left side,” said Etemadi, who traveled to Page-Lake Powell Country to visit not only Horseshoe but also visit the nearby Antelope Canyon and Diné Bikéyah.

“I didn’t realize what happened until I saw (them) tumbling,” he explained. “I gave a statement to the (Page Police Department). I waited until the police showed up. It was a horrible experience.”

Etemadi, from Virginia, said he was shaken by what he saw.

“One of the ladies next to me said she saw the individual jump, and another lady said she was doing a selfie (and didn’t see it),” Etemadi said.

The individual is described with medium long hair and possibly middle-aged. Witnesses think the individual was a woman.

Etemadi said, “I heard something hit the rock. I thought it was a camera or something, and then I saw something tumbling down. I realized the body was hitting all the rocks, making really weird sounds – echoing. I’ll never forget it.”

The individual didn’t scream.

“I was taking a picture when all of sudden, in the corner of my eye, I saw something fell, maybe (the individual’s) camera or purse––something,” he said.

Another person at the overlook when the incident happened was Kenneth Trotter, who was sightseeing.

“I was a bit further from the rim and did not see the fall, but I made a 911 call at 2:19 p.m. to report the incident,” Trotter said in a statement to the Navajo Times.

Trotter’s initial call would have been transferred to the National Park Service, but his call dropped. But another observer reached the agency to report the incident.

“We have been concerned over this accident and what became of this person who fell/jumped,” Trotter said. “We have been unable to obtain any updates from the Glen Canyon (National Recreation Area).”

Etemadi said that Monday was a perfect day for a hike to Horseshoe. And it wasn’t windy.

The NPS, which manages the overlook as part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, opened a viewing platform with railings in 2018. Visitors are still allowed to explore other areas of the overlook without railings.

A spokesman for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Jon Paxton, said the person has not yet been identified.

“This will be a National Park investigation, and we will assist,” Paxton said.

The Page Police Department did not respond to a request for further information.

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