Five family members drown in Utah flash flood during canyon hiking excursion

The sheriff's office were called to the campground for a report of a body found, and found a young male in wash. Two additional males were later found in the same wash, and searchers are looking for two others.

By Kevin Killough

Published: July 20, 2026 11:04am

A captain of the Provo, Utah, fire department was among the five family members who drowned during a flash flood in a red rock canyon.

The man's wife and three sons were also killed in the incident, according to a statement by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

The family arrived at the Sunglow Campground area around 11:30 a.m. on Friday to hike in the canyon. At 5 p.m., the sheriff's office were called to the campground for a report of a body found. Deputies arrived and found the body in a wash near the campground.

A search was initiated for additional individuals, and two additional males were found in the same wash. Authorities are continuing to search for two other individuals.

"At this time, it is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains," the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's department didn't release the names of the victims, but the Provo Fire and Rescue confirmed in a Facebook post that Captain Spencer Long and his family members were killed, CBS News reported.