Body, motorcycle found 456 feet below Grand Canyon rim

March 4 (UPI) -- The National Park Service said Thursday that Park Rangers had recovered the body of a missing Kentucky man in the Grand Canyon, bringing an end to a multi-day search and rescue operation.

Park rangers discovered the body Wednesday near a yellow motorcycle in the canyon some 465 feet below the rim of the South Kaibab Trailhead, the service said in a statement.

Officials said they believe the body is of John Pennington, 40, from Walton, Ky., who is thought to have entered the Grand Canyon on Feb. 23.

The service announced Pennington was missing on Sunday, stating his last known location was the South Rim of the Grand Canyon near Yaki Point where he had left his vehicle and was riding a yellow motorcycle with Ohio plates.

The service said his body was transported by helicopter to the rim of the Grand Canyon where it was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office.

"An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner," the National Park Service said.

Pennington's body was retrieved a week and a half after the body of Lillian Meyn, 31, of Woodside, Calif., was found 300 feet below the rim on Feb. 23.

She was reported missing a day earlier by a family member.

In mid-December, Jaiquan Carter, 23, of Phoenix Ariz., died above the Black Bridge of South Kaibab Trail, where he is believed to fallen some 80 feet while hiking.