Two people killed in glider accident in Grand Teton National Park

UPDATE 6/11/18: The second individual has been identified as David Ross, 65, of Salt Lake City.

ORIGINAL:

Two people were killed in a gliding accident in Grand Teton National Park on Saturday afternoon.

Teton Interagency Dispatch said it was contacted at approximately 12 p.m. Saturday about two individuals that did not return from a scenic glider ride that departed from Driggs, Idaho. The call was being investigated by the Teton County Wyoming Sheriff’s Office as initial indications were that the glider and individuals may be located south of the park boundary.

Teton County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was sent to assist when the park received information that one of the individual’s phone was pinged and it indicated a location in the park. An independent helicopter then contacted the park that they saw what they believed to be glider wreckage in the park. Park rangers flew to the site, confirmed it was the glider and that there were two deceased individuals. The wreckage was located between the Middle and South Teton, above Icefloe Lake at approximately 10,000 feet.

Park rangers recovered the two bodies via a long-line aerial operation.

The glider pilot was identified as Kristine Ciesinski, age 65, of Victor, Idaho. According to an online biography, she is an opera singer and very involved with the music community.

The name of the other individual will not be released until next of kin notifications have been completed.

The National Park Service is investigating.