UPDATE (Jul 18, 2026):

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office says three bodies have been found in the wash.

The gender, identities, and nationalities of the three have not yet been determined, police said.

The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death and identify the three.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Crews called off the search Thursday night for two people reported in a wash near Rio Rico, according to the Tubac Fire District and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

Search for multiple unidentified people in wash near Rio Rico

Santa Cruz County Search and Rescue plans to return to the area Friday to resume the search.

Tubac Fire said a person was spotted in the wash off Exit 17, and crews staged there to attempt a rescue. Crews later moved to Exit 25, where nothing was found.

Santa Cruz County confirmed the location as a wash, not the Santa Cruz River as initially reported.

The search began after a report from Nogales police, and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office joined in a coordinated effort.

This is a developing story. KGUN9 will update this article as more information becomes available.