WASHINGTON ISLAND, Wis. (WLS) — Authorities have located the bodies of two kayakers from the Chicago area, who were missing on Lake Michigan near Washington Island in Wisconsin. The recovery took place on Monday, according to local police reports.
Officials from the Washington Island Police Department and the Door County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Wickman Drive after receiving a call around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. The report concerned two individuals who had gone kayaking without wearing life jackets and had not returned.
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Initial rescue efforts included a water and drone search, but had to be suspended by local crews at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday due to nighttime constraints.
Despite the challenging conditions, ground and drone searches carried on until 2:30 a.m., resuming at 7 a.m. the following Sunday morning.
The U.S. Coast Guard continued its diligent search operations until concluding at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday. At this point, local law enforcement and fire service teams transitioned their efforts from a search to a recovery mission.
Crews found the bodies of 20-year-old Dundee man David Thalman and 20-year-old South Elgin woman Franceska Warick in the water around 11 a.m. Monday.
What led up to the kayakers’ disappearance was not immediately clear.
The Door County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. Authorities did not immediately provide further information.
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