Teen brothers go missing on California duck hunting trip

Wesley Cornett, 17, and Andruw Cornett, 19, went missing last weekend.

December 18, 2024, 1:51 PM

A search is underway for two teen brothers who went missing over the weekend after one of their kayaks overturned while duck hunting in Northern California.

Rescue teams are searching the Thermalito Afterbay near Oroville for brothers Wesley Cornett, 17, and Andruw Cornett, 19, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams are out at the Thermalito Afterbay, looking for two duck hunters, ages 17 and 19, who went missing over the weekend.
Butte County Sheriff's Office
Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams are out at the Thermalito Afterbay, looking for two duck hunters, ages 17 and 19, who went missing over the weekend.
Butte County Sheriff's Office

Search and rescue personnel responded to the location after receiving reports that one of two duck hunters had overturned on a kayak. The other swam into the water to try and help, but both are currently missing, according to Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff's office has said it is not asking for assistance from the public.

"We are receiving assistance today from several different law enforcement agencies from across Northern California. There are several boats out at the Afterbay searching," the sheriff's office said Tuesday.

Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams are out at the Thermalito Afterbay, looking for two duck hunters, ages 17 and 19, who went missing over the weekend.
Butte County Sheriff's Office
Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams are out at the Thermalito Afterbay, looking for two duck hunters, ages 17 and 19, who went missing over the weekend.
Butte County Sheriff's Office

The operation was transitioning to a recovery effort, authorities told Redding ABC affiliate KRCR.

"We are running a lot of sonar equipment trying to narrow down anomalies that we can further inspect with underwater ROVs, which are unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as divers. The search that we are doing right now is a recovery," Sgt. Brian Evans, with the Butte County Sheriff's Office, Marine Unit, told KRCR.