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Two canoeists found dead following late-night excursion on Tomales Bay

Authorities in California are investigating after two campers failed to return from a midnight water outing.

The short version

  • Two people who launched a canoe on Tomales Bay late Saturday night were found unresponsive and later pronounced dead on Sunday.
  • First responders launched a search operation after other members of their camping group called 911 when the pair did not return.
  • Investigators from local and federal agencies are conducting post-mortem examinations and toxicology testing to determine the cause of death.

Key facts

  • Two canoeists embarked onto Tomales Bay shortly before midnight on Saturday from a campsite and were discovered unresponsive Sunday morning.[Fox News]
  • Officials identified one of the deceased individuals as 36-year-old Casey Flynn Melia of San Francisco, while the identity of the second person was not immediately released.[Fox News]
  • Emergency personnel found one victim in the water and located Melia near Hog Island before pronouncing both dead.[Fox News]
  • A joint inquiry into the deaths is being conducted by the Marin County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Park Service.[Fox News]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact cause and manner of death for both individuals remain unknown pending the results of forensic autopsies and toxicology tests.[Fox News]
  • The public identity of the second victim has not been released by authorities.[Fox News]

Sources