The search for a missing graduate student came to a tragic conclusion over the weekend as authorities discovered his body at the Grand Canyon. The 26-year-old, Sandarsh Krishna, had disappeared while exploring the iconic national park.
Sandarsh Krishna’s remains were located near the Verkamp’s Visitor Center at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday, as confirmed by a statement from the National Park Service (NPS) released on Tuesday.
Krishna, who was pursuing a degree in computer science at Arizona State University, had informed his family on April 27 of his intentions to visit the South Rim before heading to Las Vegas. He had assured them he would return in time for his final exams and graduation, scheduled for the following Saturday.
When Krishna’s family did not hear from him, concerns grew, and he was reported missing on April 28. According to NPS officials, he was last seen around 4 p.m. on April 27, walking along the Rim Trail on Hermit Road.
Authorities had speculated that Krishna might have utilized a rideshare or taxi service to reach his last known location. This theory emerged after a backpack, believed to belong to Krishna, was found by a hiker early on April 28. The hiker handed it over to hotel staff at Bright Angel Lodge.
Around 7am on April 28, a backpack officials said belonged to Krishna was found by a hiker and given to hotel staff at Bright Angel Lodge.
The Bright Angel Lodge is less than a half a mile from the visitor’s center, where Krishna’s body was ultimately found.
His body was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. His death remains under investigation by the National Park Service and the medical examiner’s office. His cause of death was not revealed by authorities.
The body of Sandarsh Krishna, 26, was found in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on Saturday, the National Park Service said. He had been missing since April 27, when he told his family he was visiting the national park before a trip to Las Vegas
Pictured: Search and rescue responders overlook an area of the Grand Canyon on Saturday where they were looking for Krishna
His family had maintained hope that Krishna was still alive, visiting the South Rim multiple times over the past week.
Cellphone tower data showed Krishna’s last known location was between the Bright Angel Lodge and Mohave Point on the day of his disappearance.
The family had even hired their own private investigator to help find Krishna.
‘We don’t want to believe he’s hurt,’ Adarsh told KPNX, adding, ‘We need a proper closure. We don’t know what exactly happened to him.’
Krishna had moved to Arizona from India in 2024 to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at Arizona State University.
His loved ones describe him as bright, kind and deeply family-oriented.
‘He has a helping hand,’ said his sister-in-law Pooja Shivananjappa. ‘As I said, he has the heart of a kid, and we terribly miss him.’
More than 30 search and rescue personnel were deployed over the past several days to look for Krishna.
Krishna said he had planned to be back in time for final exams and his graduation from Arizona State University on Saturday, the day his body was found
More than 30 search and rescue personnel were deployed to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to try to find Krishna
Crews used a myriad of techniques to try to find Krishna, including trail scanning, walk-down routes into the canyon, technical rope insertions, aerial reconnaissance flights and drone operations, park officials have said.
The Grand Canyon, one of the most popular nature attractions in the United States, is frequently ranked as the most deadly national park due to how many people die there every year.
Most deaths are not from falls, but from heat stroke and dehydration thanks to how temperatures wildly fluctuate at different elevations.
Temperatures at the canyon floor are often significantly hotter than at the rim, and hikers who descend in cool morning weather can find themselves trekking uphill for hours in extreme heat.
This, combined with a lack of reliable cell service throughout the canyon, can lead to dangerous outcomes for hikers.
The NPS recommends that hikers rest often in the shade, stay hydrated and apply sunscreen throughout the day.
