Crews working to rescue three teens from Provo Canyon ledge

PROVO — A search and rescue team was deployed Monday night to retrieve three teenage boys stranded on a ledge in Provo Canyon.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said the boys were perched on a 3-foot-wide ledge about 400 yards above the highway. They were hiking the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, located west of Bridal Veil Falls, when they got "ledged out."

The rescue operation was still under way at 10:30 p.m. Monday. The technical was expected to take several hours, Cannon said.

"Our biggest concern is keeping them safe and not making the problem worse," he said. "Once (rescuers) get to them, they'll get anchored in and get set up. There may be some rappelling to get them down, but it may be just using the ropes to help them get down more safely."

Officers received a call from the father of one of the boys about 9 p.m.

A search and rescue team from the Utah County Sheriff's Office, as well as 25 to 30 volunteers, were on hand to assist in the operation.

— McKenzie Romero Twitter: @McKenzieRomero