Following an extensive search and recovery operation, authorities have officially identified the victims of the recent drowning incident at Fossil Creek in the Coconino National Forest as two young men who had recently graduated from Arizona State University (ASU).
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the emergency on May 8, receiving distress calls around 6 p.m. regarding the disappearance of one or possibly two individuals who had entered the lower Fossil Creek area but failed to reappear.
Eyewitness accounts described a chilling scene of two men entering the water near the falls before vanishing from sight.
After a tense night of search efforts, rescue teams, including divers, were able to locate and recover the bodies on the morning of Thursday, May 9.
The tragic victims have been identified as 23-year-old Rakesh Reddy Lakkireddy and 25-year-old Rohith Manikanta Repala, both recent graduates from ASU’s esteemed Fulton School of Engineering.
Sergeant Cole LaBonte, speaking on behalf of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, shed light on the circumstances surrounding the incident. According to LaBonte, a group of individuals, including Lakkireddy and Repala, found themselves in a perilous situation after slipping into the water while standing on a narrow peninsula.
Despite wearing life jackets, it remains unclear whether the victims possessed adequate swimming skills to navigate the unexpectedly deep waters.
The response to this tragedy involved a coordinated effort from multiple fire departments, including the specialized Tonto Rim Search and Rescue team, due to the remote and challenging terrain of the area, which required rescuers to trek nearly a mile into the wilderness.
This heartbreaking incident marks the first recorded drownings at Fossil Creek this year, serving as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers and the critical need for water safety education, particularly in natural settings where conditions can change rapidly.
