Body of One Missing Brother Recovered From Northern California Bay

First responders gather as the search for two missing brothers in Butte County, Calif., continued Dec. 19. Butte County Sheriff's Department

Searchers looking for two brothers who went missing while duck hunting in Northern California’s Butte County last month reported recovering one of the bodies on Dec. 31.

The body of Andruw Cornett, 19, was pulled from Thermalito Afterbay, a pool downstream of Lake Oroville, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Department.

A sheriff’s office helicopter pilot spotted a body at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the northern part of the bay, located within the original search area, the department reported.

The sheriff’s marine unit and search and rescue immediately responded and recovered the body.

“The decedent has been positively identified as Andruw Cornett, and next-of-kin has been notified,” the sheriff’s department reported on social media.

Andruw Cornett was reported missing on Dec. 14 with his brother, Wesley Cornett, 17. The two had gone hunting in the bay, about 70 miles north of Sacramento.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report that one of them had overturned in a kayak, and the other one had swum out to help.

Search and rescue personnel from agencies around the region, including an aviation and marine unit, responded for days following the report, according to the sheriff’s office.

During the recovery, the pilot was forced to land because a drone was flying “extremely close” to the helicopter.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Megan McMann said the drone interference has since ceased as searchers continued to look for the body of the second brother Thursday.

“We continue to diligently search for Wesley Cornett,” McMann told The Epoch Times. “As soon as we have additional information, we’ll post it on our social media.”

Anyone with more information or questions was urged to contact sheriff’s investigators.

The brothers were reported missing Dec. 14. Butte County Sheriff's Department

Several people responded to the news of the recovery on Facebook.

A user named Taya Adriana Martin, a Butte County resident according to her page, called the situation “heartbreaking.”

“I cannot imagine what these parent[s] are going through,” Martin wrote Wednesday.

“I’m glad the brothers were together in their last moments and hope the other brother is found soon. My thoughts and prayers go out to their parents. Truly their [worst] nightmare came true.”

Another user who goes by Tina Smith said she was sorry for the family’s loss.

“This is a huge testament to the love between siblings!” Smith commented Wednesday. “He risked his life to save his brother. I would do the same for my siblings.”