UPDATE: The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Friday the two recovered boaters are believed to be 25-year-old Daniel Garcia Garcia and 36-year-old Manuel Mauro Sifuentes Soto, who are both Durham residents. Positive identification by the state medical examiner’s office is still pending.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of these two young men,” said Sheriff Mike Roberson. “Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones. We are grateful to all the agencies that came together in this difficult time to assist in the search and recovery efforts.”

Below is the original story published on Wednesday, July 9.

A pair of missing boaters, last seen Sunday afternoon at the Martha’s Chapel Road canoe access on Jordan Lake, have both been found dead, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said. The body of the first boater was recovered Tuesday morning, and the second boater was found Wednesday. A search had been ongoing since Monday.

“Although this is not the ending we hoped for, we are grateful to bring some degree of closure to the families,” said Sheriff Mike Roberson. “We appreciate the public’s support and patience, and we remain deeply mindful of the pain these families are facing.”

While authorities believe the bodies to be the missing boaters, official identification is pending confirmation by a medical examiner. The names of the boaters will be released following notification of next of kin.

Boat crews return to shore after locating the body of the second missing boater Wednesday morning at Jordan Lake. (Image via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office)

The two individuals reportedly were last observed entering the water around 5 p.m. The sheriff’s office said the unoccupied canoe was recovered later in the evening.

The search came after Tropical Depression Chantal slammed into central North Carolina Sunday night, dropping up to 12 inches of rain across the region.

 

Featured image via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office

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