The bodies of a chiropractor and a martial artist have been recovered from the Grand Canyon and 82 others have been rescued after flash flooding swept through the national park. One person remains unaccounted for, park officials said.

John Giusti, a martial arts studio owner, and chiropractor Brent Rosenkranz, 42, were identified as the two people whose bodies have been recovered, Hannah Barricks, a liaison for their relatives, told The Associated Press.

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2 dead, several missing after Grand Canyon flash floods

A third man, 53-year-old Wyoming pilot Timothy Smith — a friend of the two deceased individuals — was still missing as of Monday evening, Barricks added.

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The men spoke to their families Thursday and set up their campsite Friday at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the three families said in a joint statement released earlier Monday through Barricks.

Saturday’s flash floods caused major damage to the only water pipeline serving Grand Canyon National Park, leading to bans on overnight stays for tourists and water restrictions for year-round residents.

It also damaged hiking paths and wiped out footbridges that provided hiker access to the bottom of the inner canyon on the north side of the Colorado River.

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In an X update Monday, park officials said preliminary examinations found that about 40 per cent of the Transcanyon Waterline was damaged or destroyed.

Search and recovery efforts continue following the flooding in Grand Canyon National Park. Two bodies have been recovered. Preliminary assessments indicate approximately 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline was damaged or destroyed. Forecasted weather may affect the timing and pace…

— Grand Canyon NPS (@GrandCanyonNPS) August 31, 2026

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During a press conference Monday evening, acting superintendent of the park Brian Drapeuax said the pipeline was “battered, bruised, and decimated in certain areas.”

Later, Incident Cmdr. Dave Black said searchers used night vision and other equipment to find people who needed rescuing during the deluge. By sunset Saturday, rescuers had rescued 45 people, and 37 more were evacuated Sunday.

Most were rescued by helicopter.

Grand Canyon staff referred to the park’s permit system and checked vehicle licence plates to track the number of missing people.

“As of right now, they have no reason to believe, from the tips we’ve been through so far, that there’s anybody besides the one” missing person, Black added.

The flood happened deep in the canyon on Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River.

The area is home to a set of historic dormitories, a canteen and a campground that is a popular stopover for river rafters and hikers traversing from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other.

Evacuated visitors spoke of a massive deluge, the AP reported, while park rangers warned of rockslides and pools of logs and debris rolling down the river near rescue scenes.

Visiting the Grand Canyon can be particularly risky in the summer because of the potential for flash flooding that accompanies the monsoon season, meaning clear, sunny days can rapidly give way to downpours.

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The park remains open for day visitors, with some operations potentially operating on reduced hours, the park said.

The national park is no stranger to natural disasters. Last summer, wildfires destroyed a historic lodge and a visitors centre on the North Rim, along with cabins, employee housing and a wastewater treatment plant.

Several hikers died inside the park earlier this summer in extreme heat-related incidents.

— with files from The Associated Press