GRAND CANYON, ARIZ, July 27 AP: The body of a Roman Catholic priest missing in the Grand Canyon since Saturday was found Monday at the base of a 200-foot cliff.
National park rangers found the body of the Rev. Eugene A. Gavigan, 30, on vacation from St. James Church in Savannah, CA., in Tanner wash in the southeast part of the canyon.
It lay about 13 miles from where the body of Walter J. Mahany Jr. 16, of Savannah, was found Sunday. Darkness forced postponement of the search for Manson Owens, 16, also of Savannah, who hiked into the canyon with the other two last Friday apparently had fallen over the cliff.
Body Taken Out Mahany’s body was flown out of the canyon by helicopter Monday after the aircraft negotiated the dangerous air currents in the gorge to drop additional rangers into the search area.
The youth had died of exposure and lack of water on a twisting trail while apparently seeking help for his friends.
Rangers said he had scrawled a note in the sand indicating his companions had been injured.
The three had been camping at Desert View, the eastern-most viewpoint of the south rim.
They hiked down a narrow trail into the canyon Friday. Search was started Saturday when tourists reported hearing calls for help from deep in the gorge.
