Costa Rican rescue officials located a body Wednesday afternoon near the area where American hiker Ashley Nicole Phillips disappeared in Pérez Zeledón, bringing a grim new turn to a search that had drawn attention in both Costa Rica and the United States. Authorities were working to confirm the identity of the person found. As of the latest public reports, officials had not formally identified the body as Phillips.
The body was found in the Barú area of Pérez Zeledón, near the area where search teams had been looking for Phillips, a 30-year-old American woman who was last seen on June 3 in San Salvador de Barú. She was reported missing to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, known as the OIJ, on June 7.
Rescue teams with the Costa Rican Red Cross and Fire Department participated in the recovery operation. The body was found in or near a riverbed and later turned over to the OIJ, which is responsible for the official identification process and any further investigation.
Phillips’ disappearance had become a closely watched case after relatives, friends, volunteers and Costa Rican authorities searched for her for more than a week in difficult conditions. Heavy rain, flooding and unstable terrain complicated the search in the mountainous southern zone, an area known for rivers, waterfalls and steep trails.
Her family has said she disappeared while hiking after severe weather brought flooding and mudslides to the area. Costa Rican authorities had not publicly confirmed the exact circumstances of her disappearance. It has been suggested that she may have been swept away by a sudden flash flood, known here in Costa Rica as a cabeza de agua, but investigators had not confirmed that version.
The search focused on the Barú area, including terrain near the Nauyaca waterfalls area, one of the best-known natural attractions in Pérez Zeledón and a popular stop for those exploring the southern Pacific side of Costa Rica.
Phillips was from California, and her disappearance quickly reached U.S. media as family and friends asked for help spreading the word. A fundraising campaign organized for the family said donations would support volunteers involved in the search, including supplies, meals and equipment.
The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica had said it was aware of reports involving a missing American citizen and that U.S. officials can assist families with missing-person procedures abroad. The embassy did not release further details, citing privacy considerations. For several days, the case remained defined by uncertainty. The OIJ had circulated Phillips’ photo and asked anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact its confidential line. Search teams continued looking through river areas and trails as weather allowed.
The discovery of a body now shifts the case to the identification process. The OIJ will determine whether the remains are those of Phillips and, if confirmed, what further steps are needed to establish the circumstances of the death. Until that confirmation is made, authorities are treating the case with caution.
The case has also renewed attention on hiking safety during Costa Rica’s rainy season, especially near rivers, waterfalls and steep rural trails. Sudden changes in water levels can happen quickly during periods of heavy rain, even when conditions appear manageable at the trailhead.
Anyone with information related to Phillips’ disappearance has been asked to contact the OIJ at 800-8000-645.
