Bodies of missing suburban kayakers recovered in Door County

The search for two suburban kayakers who went missing Saturday while paddling in Door County, Wisconsin, ended tragically Monday with the discovery of their bodies, authorities said.

Recovery personnel searching the water near Washington Island located the body of David Thalman, 20, of Dundee Township, at about 10:55 a.m., according to the Door County Sheriff’s Office.

A short time later, the body of Franceska Warick, 20, of South Elgin, also was recovered from the water, officials said.

The search began about 6:48 p.m. Saturday, after authorities received a report that two kayakers had gone out on the water on the east side of the island without life jackets and had not returned, according to the Washington Island Police Department.

Officers initiated a water search and drone operation that later was joined by the U.S. Coast Guard, police said. The search was suspended due to darkness, but it resumed early Sunday with the assistance of several local police and fire departments.

The search effort became a recovery operation Monday, focused on the area where the kayakers were last known to have been, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The Door County Sheriff's Office extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of both individuals during this difficult time,” officials posted on social media late Monday afternoon.

The matter remains under investigation by the Door County Sheriff's Office.