19-year-old motorcyclist killed in Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel crash

A 19-year-old was killed in a motorcycle crash in the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel on Independence Day evening, according to a Zion National Park news release.

On Thursday evening, July 4, authorities responded to a single-vehicle collision in the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel and began CPR on the 19-year-old driver. The life-saving efforts however were unsuccessful and a medical professional pronounced the man dead at the scene.

The tunnel was temporarily closed as National Park Service staff, Utah Highway Patrol authorities, and Hurricane Valley Fire District emergency personnel responded to the incident. The tunnel has since been reopened.

The identity of the 19-year-old male has not been released.

“All of us at Zion National Park extend our sympathy to the deceased’s family for their tragic loss,” acting Superintendent Bry Carter said.

The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is just over a mile long and allows for direct travel between Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Park, according to the National Park Service. NPS says it is one of the busiest areas in the park and has seen many crashes throughout the years.

The NPS website reminds drivers to slow down and obey all traffic directions in order to prevent crashes. It says never to stop outside or within the tunnel and to wait until passing the tunnel kiosk to turn around.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. There is no further information available at this time.