
Hiker on trip with her dad survives 3 days after falling off ‘Edge of the World'
Janelle Banda, 32, was on a father-daughter camping trip when she went for a walk and took a misstep that dropped her 400 feet into a steep canyon in Sedona, Arizona.
For two and a half days, Banda suffered through the heat and cold as her family was 'very much mentally preparing for the worst,' her loved ones told The Arizona Republic.
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Janelle Banda took a misstep and fell into a 400 foot canyon during a hike with her father.
But Banda was ultimately saved by the Pima County sheriff's office, which airlifted her by helicopter on June 16.
Her sister, Sarah Banda, 29, called the rescue 'nothing short of a miracle,' adding that she has 'an overwhelming amount of relief, joy.'
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The sisters 'always had a love for the outdoors' and were seasoned hikers, but Janelle Banda's latest trip was her first trek at the Edge of the World — a popular beauty spot marked by towering rock formations and treacherous cliffs
She and her father started their trip on June 11,
Janelle Banda, an Etsy store owner, and her father started their trip on June 11. She then took a short walk away from their campsite on the night of June 12, when she was 'spooked by something' and lost her way in the woods, her sister said.
'If you walk the wrong way, down the wrong path, you could just end up walking and stepping where you shouldn't at the edge of the cliff,' Sarah Banda said.
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Janelle Banda was found alive and rescued days after she disappeared.
Coconino County Sheriff's Office via Storyful
Janelle Banda made it out with two sprained ankles, cuts, bruising and some scrapes that resembled road burn. She was also extremely dehydrated when she was found.
She spent one night in the hospital and is now resting with her parents, Sarah Banda said.
'She can't really move,' said Sarah Banda. 'She's in a lot of pain.'
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'There's obviously the mental toll of … the trauma of not just falling but being in the canyon alone,' she said. 'That's a different battle that she'll have to deal with.'

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Fox News
24-06-2025
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Hiker disappears from ‘Edge of the World' campground on trip with father
Arizona authorities made a dramatic rescue after a woman who went on a hike with her father went missing for three days. Coconino County officials responded to reports of a woman who had gone missing from a campsite in an area known as the "Edge of the World" around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, June 13. Janelle Banda, 32, had left her campsite and was believed to have descended a nearby canyon, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office said. The sheriff's search and rescue teams immediately began searching for Banda, "including a nighttime descent into the canyon," but despite their efforts on June 13, they did not find the missing woman that evening and continued their search over the weekend with support from other agencies. On Monday, the sheriff's search and rescue teams again descended into the canyon and successfully located Banda around noon. "She was found dehydrated and suffering from minor injuries," the sheriff's office said. Banda had been hiking with her father when she vanished from their campsite for unknown reasons, her sister, Sarah Banda, told FOX 10 Phoenix. "Even when we felt at our lowest, right, usually by the end of the day you feel it, right? It's dark, and we know she's alone, but we were like, wherever she is, we will find her," Sarah told the outlet. Now, Banda's family is focused on her recovery, and they are grateful for those who helped find her, her sister told FOX 10.


New York Post
23-06-2025
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Hiker on trip with her dad survives 3 days after falling off ‘Edge of the World'
An Arizona woman fell into a canyon known as the 'Edge of the World' and managed to survive three day in the desert before she was rescued. Janelle Banda, 32, was on a father-daughter camping trip when she went for a walk and took a misstep that dropped her 400 feet into a steep canyon in Sedona, Arizona. For two and a half days, Banda suffered through the heat and cold as her family was 'very much mentally preparing for the worst,' her loved ones told The Arizona Republic. Advertisement Janelle Banda took a misstep and fell into a 400 foot canyon during a hike with her father. But Banda was ultimately saved by the Pima County sheriff's office, which airlifted her by helicopter on June 16. Her sister, Sarah Banda, 29, called the rescue 'nothing short of a miracle,' adding that she has 'an overwhelming amount of relief, joy.' Advertisement The sisters 'always had a love for the outdoors' and were seasoned hikers, but Janelle Banda's latest trip was her first trek at the Edge of the World — a popular beauty spot marked by towering rock formations and treacherous cliffs She and her father started their trip on June 11, Janelle Banda, an Etsy store owner, and her father started their trip on June 11. She then took a short walk away from their campsite on the night of June 12, when she was 'spooked by something' and lost her way in the woods, her sister said. 'If you walk the wrong way, down the wrong path, you could just end up walking and stepping where you shouldn't at the edge of the cliff,' Sarah Banda said. Advertisement Janelle Banda was found alive and rescued days after she disappeared. Coconino County Sheriff's Office via Storyful Janelle Banda made it out with two sprained ankles, cuts, bruising and some scrapes that resembled road burn. She was also extremely dehydrated when she was found. She spent one night in the hospital and is now resting with her parents, Sarah Banda said. 'She can't really move,' said Sarah Banda. 'She's in a lot of pain.' Advertisement 'There's obviously the mental toll of … the trauma of not just falling but being in the canyon alone,' she said. 'That's a different battle that she'll have to deal with.'
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