Searchers found the body approximately one mile down river from Boat Beach in an eddy on river right. Rangers responded to the area and conducted a search by zodiac after receiving a report from a long-term volunteer at Phantom Ranch indicating he had seen something in the water. Canyon officials are waiting to identify him until they can first contact his family.
Search efforts continue for the other two young men. Those efforts include boat operations from Boat Beach to Hermit Rapid (river mile 95), a search dog and its handler searching from Boat Beach to Silver Bridge on both sides of the river, and ranger patrols on the River Trail above the river.
Garrick Taylor, a spokesman for the Tri-City Baptist Church, said the men were part of a 30-member group that went on a planned three-day hiking trip on Wednesday that the church organizes each year. Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge identified the three as 15-year-old Saif Savaya, and two brothers, 16-year-old Mark Merrill and 22-year-old Joey Merrill. None were wearing life vests.
After being recovered from the eddy, the body was flown to the South Rim helibase where it was picked up by the Coconino County Medical Examiner and transferred to his office in Flagstaff.
This was a really good kid. We’re all in shock about this. His mother, father, little brother, and sisters are in our prayers.
Yes, Mark Merrill was “a really good kid.” His siblings and his mother and father are, indeed, in all our prayers. Those of us who cannot attend Mark’s funeral today might offer a moment of silence at an appropriate time.
Then we can look forward to a report from Tri-City Baptist Church pastor Mike Sproul, church spokesperson Garrick Taylor and IBC president David Brock on the results of their interviews with the 27 people who survived the hike.
Mark’s grandfather, Francis E. Dyer