MOAB, Utah (KUTV) — Grand County continued grappling with severe weather during the ongoing search for a missing couple from Texas.
Ray and Maranda Ankofski were on a UTV outing in Moab when flash floods struck in later June.
According to the family, the missing couple’s son is heading to Moab Tuesday to assist in the search for his parents, following efforts from his aunt and uncle over the last weekend of June.
With more possible storms in the forecast, Grand County officials are continuing their search efforts and issuing warnings to visitors in the area.
“There are a lot of clouds overhead right now,” said Sgt. Ryan Hines.
He explained the searchers looking for Ray and Maranda Ankofski are keeping an eye out for inclement weather.
“We still have people out there searching, and we have to take breaks for the weather that’s coming in. We don’t want to get stuck in the floods as well,” Hines said.
Family members shared that Ray and Maranda went out on a UTV ride when the weather seemed clear after a morning rain.
“But the sun came out and dried up, and so they went on out to get one last ride in,” said Angie Ankofski, the couple’s sister-in-law.
Angie expressed the family’s shock at the situation.
“We’ve never experienced anything like this. You never think that this is something that can happen to your family,” she said, holding back tears.
Angie and her husband flew from Texas to Utah in late June after the couple’s UTV and belongings were found. She described the agony of not knowing what happened.
“We don’t know what happened. We can only speculate. And of course, our minds are going crazy with all kinds of different scenarios,” she said.
PREVIOUSLY on THE SEARCH FOR MISSING COUPLE IN MOAB:
With her nephew arriving in Utah Tuesday, Angie echoed the warnings from Grand County teams to “know the forecast.”
“Stay out of slot canyons today, and check the weather ahead of time,” Hines said.
Angie agreed and added her own thoughts.
“If the weather is saying that it’s extreme flooding, just stay put,” she said.
Search and rescue teams, now considering this a recovery mission, have invested more than 1,000 man-hours into the search over the past ten days.
Volunteers in Moab have also stepped up to support these efforts, which the family deeply appreciates during this difficult time.
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