Body Of Santa Cruz Wingsuiter Recovered In Arizona

PAGE, AZ – Professional technical climbers have succeeded in extricating the body of 29-year-old Mathew Kenney of Santa Cruz from a northern Arizona mountain canyon.

Kenney died January 12 while wingsuiting with friends in the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area. His body was located Sunday, five days after the accident, in steep canyon walls according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Also on Patch:

• 2nd Effort Fails, Body Of Santa Cruz Man Remains Trapped
• Report: Santa Cruz Man Dies Wingsuiting In Arizona

On Sunday, January 17, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, a private group of professional technical climbers hired by the family rappelled down to the location where the body came to rest.

Those rescuers lowered the body to a slope where an Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter and crew performed a one skid landing.

Authorities say the DPS helicopter off-loaded a Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue technician and was able to conduct a long line extraction of the body to Lees Ferry, approximately 15 miles away, where it was released to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Technical Rescue Team members and National Park Service helicopter from Grand Canyon had previously attempted a body recovery by helicopter on Thursday, January 14, 2016.

Due to safety issues and incoming weather, the recovery was suspended and additional plans were discussed for a technical recovery, according to officials.

-image via Coconino County Sheriff’s Office