Officials have identified the body that was found in the Thermalito Afterbay this morning. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said that the deceased is Andruw Cornett, 19, who went missing while duck hunting with his brother, Wesley, on Dec. 14. The next of kin has been notified.
A helicopter pilot found Andruw’s body at around 9:30 a.m. and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit was able to recover the body. The pilot was forced to land rather than continue the search because a drone was flying too close to the helicopter.
Officials said the search for Wesley will continue by air, however officials said the use of drones in the area can prevent helicopter pilots from flying.
Andruw Cornett tried to rescue his brother Wesley during a duck hunting trip after Wesley’s kayak overturned in the Thermalito Afterbay. Andruw called 911 for help and told dispatch he was going into the water to save his brother because there wasn’t enough time to wait.
Search and rescue crews have been looking for the missing teens in the afterbay and the surrounding area since.
2:20 p.m. update
A body was recovered from the Thermalito Afterbay this morning.
Megan McMann, spokesperson for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, said a helicopter pilot spotted the body today while searching the north side of the afterbay. It was found around 9:30 a.m. within the search area for Wesley Cornett, 17, and Andruw Cornett, 19, brothers who went missing earlier this month while duck hunting.
Officials have not released the identity of the body pending next of kin notification.
Background on the search
Andruw Cornett tried to rescue his brother, Wesley, during a duck hunting trip on Dec. 14 after Wesley’s kayak overturned in the Thermalito Afterbay. Andruw called 911 for help and told dispatch he was going into the water to save his brother because there wasn’t enough time to wait.
Search and rescue crews have been looking for the missing teens in the afterbay and the surrounding area since.
Divers found a wallet, pants and other clothing items, but the cold and murky waters of the afterbay proved too challenging. The underwater vegetation is up to ten feet tall in some places and divers risked entanglement as well as hypothermia if they stayed in the water too long.
Last week, the sheriff’s office switched its tactics to prioritize a search via land, air and boat.
McMann said the sheriff’s office is continuing its search by air, but drone interference has made that difficult. The helicopter pilot who found the body had to land early because a drone was flying too close. The sheriff’s office is working to identify the drone pilot and will charge them if the problem continues.
