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A Texas couple missing in Utah is believed to have been swept away in a flash flood while they were riding their off-road utility vehicle (UTV) on a trail over the weekend, authorities said.
Ray and Maranda Ankofski were exploring the Steel Bender Off Road Trail area in Moab, the couple’s family told FOX13 Salt Lake City. They were last heard from on Friday before a severe thunderstorm struck the Moab area.
"They're adventurers, they've even camped out at those places, but they had not been seen back at their hotel for a few days," Ray’s sister, Donna Stevens, told the station, noting that she believed it was their first time on the Steel Bender Trail.
The storm triggered flash flooding, which trapped multiple hikers in the area. The Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue said that at least 20 stranded hikers were rescued from Grand Staff Canyon in a six-hour operation.
BODY FOUND NEAR SAN DIEGO TRAIL WHERE MISSING HIKER SEPARATED FROM GROUP DURING HEAT WAVE
Ray and Maranda Ankofski were reported missing Monday after a storm struck the Moab, Utah, area where they had taken their UTV on a trail. (Ankofski Family via KSTU)
Officials launched a search and rescue operation after the couple was reported missing on Monday. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said that a UTV belonging to the couple was located in the Steel Bender Trail area.
Chief Deputy Mike Palmer told FOX13 that the UTV was likely swept away in the flash flooding during the storm and was badly damaged.
The Ankofskis' UTV was found damaged, and their belongings were scattered over a 3-mile stretch in a canyon, authorities said. (Ankofski Family via KSTU)
"It appears that probably once the flood hit the UTV, we're thinking anywhere from three-quarters to a mile, pushed it down the wash and off of the waterfall," Palmer said. "Their tools and belongings are scattered over a three-mile area in this canyon."
HIKER LOST FOR 10 DAYS FOUND ALIVE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS
No further updates on the search were immediately provided.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office shared a photo of mud-covered Highway 128 after a severe thunderstorm triggered flash flooding in the area. (Grand County Sheriffs Office)
Stevens told the station that the family is "heartbroken" as they wait for any news about the missing couple.
"At this point, we're just keeping our fingers crossed that they find a way or somebody finds them," she said.
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