Search and recovery effort for missing Northern California brothers scaled back
BUTTE COUNTY – Authorities say they are shifting their focus in the effort to find the brothers who have been missing ever since their kayak overturned while duck hunting.
On Monday, the tenth day of the search for Wesley and Andruw Cornett, the Butte County Sheriff's Office announced that search crews had "exhausted efforts" with divers and sonar at Thermalito Afterbay near Oroville.
A more limited effort would now take place, the sheriff's office said, with recovery crews using aircrafts, drones, boats, on-shore vehicles, and K9s to try and find the brothers.
12/23/24-SEARCH AND RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR ANDRUW AND WESLEY CORNETT Oroville, CA- The search and recovery efforts for...
Posted by Butte County Sheriff on Monday, December 23, 2024
At the peak of the effort, officials said around 250 people from 21 different agencies were out searching.
Andruw, 19, and Wesley, 17, were last seen the morning of Dec. 14. One of the brothers was on a kayak in the water when it overturned, prompting the other brother to jump in to try and help.
Officials have said, despite the technology and large number of resources devoted, thick vegetation underwater has hampered the search effort.