The body of one of the two missing teenagers was found in the water

Authorities have found the body of a missing teenager in Northern California’s Thermalito Afterbay, where he went missing with his brother while duck hunting more than two weeks ago.

A Butte County Sheriff’s Office pilot spotted the body of 19-year-old Andrew Cornett in the initial search area of ​​a large reservoir near Oroville around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. His body has been found and his family has been notified, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Cornett had been missing since Dec. 14, when he called 911 to report that his brother’s kayak had capsized in cold, murky water. Cornett was advised by dispatchers “several times” to stay in the kayak, but he insisted on diving into the water to try to save his younger brother, 17-year-old Wesley Cornett, who was seen swimming north of the kayak. The younger brother was not found.

The pilot who spotted the body of Andrew Cornett on Tuesday was forced to land after the drone was seen too close to the helicopter, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

“The search will continue by air, but the use of drones in the search area prevents our pilots from flying,” the statement said.

The sheriff’s office said thousands of acres were searched by boat, foot and raft after the brothers disappeared. After a call for help at 8:33 a.m. on Dec. 14, a Butte County Sheriff’s deputy arrived on the scene within 15 minutes and was joined by California Fire Rescue.

The deputy informed seeing the kayak and possibly one of the brothers around 9am. After about 20 minutes, the rescue boat found the kayak, paddles and waders. Other items, including pants, a wallet and a phone belonging to the brothers, were later found.

Rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by weeds that were 10 feet tall and mixed mud that obscured visibility by several inches. The waterway ranges from 3 to 30 feet deep.

In a post on GoFundMeApril Clark, the boys’ mother, called Andruy a hero for trying to save her brother.

“This is an amazing case that my family and I are trying to wrap our heads around and we have 4 little girls at home that we still have to take care of,” she wrote.