Join us for a 12-hour food drive Friday, 6am to 6pm, in Redding or Chico. Help stuff a RABA or B-Line bus at Les Schwab with food donations! LIVE UPDATESBody of missing teen recovered in Thermalito Afterbay after intensive searchby Adam Robinson BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — The body of Andruw Cornett, one of two teenagers who went missing in the Thermalito Afterbay area on Dec the Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) has confirmed the BCSO said the pilot spotted a body in the north side of the Afterbay Members of the BCSO Marine Unit and BCSO Search and Rescue immediately responded to the scene and recovered the body who was then positively identified as Andruw the BCSO said the pilot was forced to land due to a civilian drone flying extremely closed to the BCSO helicopter but the use of drones in the search area prevents their pilots from flying To report errors or issues with this article please email the editorial team OROVILLE, Calif. — The body of Wesley Cornett, 17, the last of two teenagers who went missing in the Thermalito Afterbay during a hunting trip on Dec the Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) confirmed on Sunday the BCSO said a citizen was walking on the west bank of the afterbay when they spotted a body in the water and called 911 They said the BCSO Marine Unit was on the water at the time as part of the continuous search for the remaining Cornett boy The BCSO said the Marine Unit recovered the body and positively identified it as Wesley Cornett through DNA analysis The body of Wesley's brother, 19-year-old Andruw Cornett, was found on Dec. 31, 2024 To report errors or issues with this article please email the editorial team. LIVE UPDATESSearch for missing teen brothers in Butte County's Thermalito Afterbay enters sixth day by Hannah Gutierrez — Officials are continuing to search for the bodies of teen brothers who disappeared early Saturday morning from the Thermalito Afterbay in Butte County RELATED | 2 teens missing after weekend duck hunting trip in Butte County Butte County officials confirmed that the search has pivoted into a recovery mission which she believes to be her son Andruw's KRCR spoke with an Oroville resident and duck hunter who headed out to assist in the search on Tuesday explaining he is familiar with the risks of hunting in the area Teams from across the Northstate have joined the Butte County Sheriff's Office in their efforts to recover the brothers who never returned from duck hunting after their kayak overturned Thursday marks the sixth day of the search and while community members have offered their assistance Butte County Search and Rescue warns that having too many searchers in the water can contaminate search areas and pose risks to their own safety Official say they hope to locate the boys soon and express their thanks to the community for their understanding OROVILLE, Calif. — Tuesday marks the fourth day of the search for two teenage brothers who went missing while duck hunting in the Thermalito Afterbay on Saturday morning. The Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) is receiving assistance from multiple agencies, including the Yuba, Placer, and Nevada County Sheriff's Offices. Community members have also offered to volunteer in searching the waters, which officials report was under 50 degrees at the time of the incident. The BCSO said that the search has shifted to a recovery effort for the two boys: 19-year-old Andruw and 17-year-old Wesley Cornett. BCSO reported that the boys went missing on Saturday morning while hunting for ducks in the Thermalito Afterbay. Their kayak overturned, Andruw jumped in the water to save Wesley. On the day the boys went missing, wind gusts ranged from 20 to 30 miles per hour. BCSO said that weather conditions that morning were 'pretty horrible,' and searches will pause at night due to safety concerns and will resume in the morning. LIVE UPDATESSearch for missing brothers in Thermalito Afterbay enlists 250 volunteers across 21 groupsby Marion Rodriguez the Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) said 250 people from 21 different organizations have been searching for Wesley and Andruw Cornett since last Saturday the day the two brothers went missing while duck hunting at the Thermalito Afterbay In a Facebook post the BCSO posted a video showing some of the challenges the search teams have been facing BCSO said thousands of acres have been searched by boat Law enforcement agencies from across the Northstate have been utilizing sonar and more in the search for the two missing brothers RELATED: Search for missing teen brothers in Butte County's Thermalito Afterbay enters sixth day RELATED: Authorities shift to recovery in search for missing teen brothers in Thermalito Afterbay Search efforts are ongoing for two brothers who went missing at Thermalito Afterbay near Oroville over the weekend According to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office The other brother jumped in to try and help were reportedly duck hunting at the time of the incident have been working tirelessly throughout the weekend to locate the pair The extensive efforts reflect the urgency and seriousness of the situation as authorities continue to comb the water and surrounding areas a popular location for outdoor recreation and water activities near Oroville has been the focus of numerous searches over the years due to its vast water coverage and unpredictable conditions This latest incident highlights the potential dangers of the area especially during colder months when water temperatures can be hazardous Two California teenagers are missing since they went duck hunting early Saturday morning at Thermalito Afterbay in Butte County Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and other first responders started searching the area after they received a report one of the boys was in a kayak that overturned Butte County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Megan McMann said The other boy vanished after he swam out to help him who posted on Facebook she's the boys' mother although the sheriff’s office and other agencies are still searching the area around Thermalito Afterbay as well as the water The area is about 70 miles north of Sacramento Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know The 911 operator said it would take time for a unit to get to the wilderness location so the 19-year-old swam out to help his brother “He’s a hero in my eyes,” Clark posted on Facebook The boys' family still harbors hopes they'll be found alive Other agencies helping with the search are marine units from the Placer and Yuba counties sheriffs’ offices the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Thermalito Afterbay is one of several reservoirs on opposite sides of Thermalito Dam. The afterbay is located southwest of the dam, about 7 miles west of the Butte County town of Oroville. Its banks lap against grasslands in the 11,800-acre Oroville Wildlife Area, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Thermalito Afterbay is a popular spot for bass and other kinds of fishing and the grasslands attract hunters looking for small game Pre-dawn temperatures in Oroville dropped to 45 degrees Saturday morning and water temperatures are usually within a few degrees of that temperature (This story has been updated with new information.) The search continues for brothers Andruw and Wesley Cornett, who went missing during a duck hunting trip at the Thermalito Afterbay on December 14 The Butte County Search and Rescue team continues its relentless efforts despite facing significant challenges operating as part of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office stating they have no plans to halt the search and worn-out equipment has further complicated the operation The team estimates it needs $25,000 in repairs to restore its capacity to full strength have created risks for searchers and slowed progress the team is dedicated to bringing closure to the Cornett family Butte County Search and Rescue operates as a non-profit organization supported by community members. They are asking for public assistance to fund additional resources and equipment needed for this and future rescue missions. Community members wishing to support the search efforts can contribute through donations on their website to help the team continue their critical work The Butte County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the recovery of the body of 19-year-old Andruw Cornett one of two brothers who went missing while duck hunting in Thermalito Afterbay on December 14 the brothers went missing after one of their kayaks overturned in the water Wesley reportedly entered the water in an attempt to help Andruw a pilot from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office spotted a body on the north side of the Afterbay The sheriff’s marine unit and search and rescue team recovered the body which was later identified as Andruw Cornett The recovery efforts were briefly disrupted when a drone flew dangerously close to the sheriff’s pilot Officials warned that drones hinder search operations and urged the public to avoid flying them in the area have been tirelessly searching the Afterbay The sheriff’s office has stated that the search for Wesley Cornett will continue Search teams found the body of one of two teenage brothers who was missing and presumed drowned in Thermalito Afterbay since mid-December Marine search and rescue units recovered the body of 19-year-old Andruw Cornett at 9:30 a.m according to the Butte County Sheriff’s office A pilot spotted the body while looking for the teens in the northern part of the afterbay at Thermalito Dam The area is about 7 miles west of the Butte County town of Oroville Searchers and divers will continue looking for the body of 17-year-old Wesley Cornett Anyone with information regarding his disappearance can call investigators at 530-538-7671 No one reported hearing from the two teens since Andruw Cornett called 911 to report his brother fell out of a kayak and into the afterbay on Dec The brothers went duck hunting near the afterbay that chilly Saturday morning according to the sheriff’s office and a Facebook post from April Clark According to Clark — whose Facebook account says she lives in Olivehurst in Yuba County — Wesley Cornett kayaked out onto the afterbay’s waters to retrieve a fallen duck. The duck landed too far from shore, and the water was too deep, for the teen’s 8-month-old Labrador retriever puppy to swim out to get it, Clark posted on Facebook Wesley Cornett paddled a kayak onto the Thermalito Afterbay to retrieve the duck When the 911 operator said it would take time for rescuers to get to the afterbay the 19-year-old said he was going to swim out to help his brother “He’s a hero in my eyes,” Clark posted of her son Andruw on Facebook First responders continued searching the area in December Meanwhile, Clark posted social media pleas, asking for help finding the brothers and expressing hope they could still be alive. “Please pray for my family … I’m just a mom begging my boys are found safe,” Clark said on Facebook Heredia posted Facebook updates on the search — sometimes three times a day promising he and other searchers wouldn’t give up More: Family of missing California teens still holding out hope after kayak overturns After divers recovered Andruw Cornett’s body on Tuesday Heredia repeated on Facebook his promise he’d keep looking for Wesley Cornett: “18 days ago I said that I won't stop the search/diving until both boys are out of the water We (are) still missing one… The family needs to rest and we all need to go back home.” who maintained their campsite while he joined the search also wouldn't to go home in spite of him asking her to do so In mid-December, Clark expressed gratitude to those who reached out to help. “To all the friends, family and people I don’t even know” who gave hope “while I scream and cry for my babies…I will never be able to thank (you) enough.” You “have a special place in my heart always and forever”, Clark posted on Facebook A Butte County Sheriff’s Office pilot spotted the body of Andruw Cornett, 19, in the original search area of the large reservoir near Oroville around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. His body was recovered and his family has been notified, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. Cornett had been missing since Dec. 14 when he dialed 911 to report that his brother’s kayak had flipped in the cold and murky waterway. Dispatchers advised Cornett to remain in his kayak “multiple times,” but he insisted on diving into the water to attempt to save his younger brother, Wesley Cornett, 17, who was seen swimming north from the kayak. The younger sibling has not been located. California Two teenage brothers who were duck-hunting on an Oroville lake have been missing for more than a week after one brother’s kayak flipped and the other dove in to help The pilot who spotted Andruw Cornett’s body on Tuesday was forced to land after a drone was seen flying extremely close to the helicopter but the use of drones in the search area prevents our pilots from flying,” the statement said The sheriff’s office said thousands of acres have been searched by boat on foot and by raft since the brothers went missing a Butte County sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene within 15 minutes and was joined by Cal Fire Water Rescue The deputy reported seeing a kayak and possibly one of the brothers around 9 a.m a wallet and a phone belonging to the brothers Rescue and recovery efforts have been challenging due to weeds reaching 10 feet tall and stirred-up silt that clouds visibility past a few inches In a post on GoFundMe, April Clark, the boys’ mother, called Andruw a hero for trying to save his brother. “This is a freak accident that my family and I are trying to wrap our heads around and we also have 4 girls at home who we still need to care for,” she wrote. Melody Gutierrez is an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she covered state government and politics for The Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Sacramento Bee. Gutierrez has written award-winning government accountability stories on wasteful spending, pension spiking, rape kit backlogs and failures in the foster care system. Subscribe for unlimited access Site Map Photo of community members assisting to search the waters of the Thermalito Afterbay for two teenage brothers who went missing on Saturday morning in Butte County — The Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) announced they will be shifting to a continuous limited search as they have entered the 10th day in searching for Andruw and Wesley Cornett two teenage duck hunters who went missing in the Thermalito Afterbay on Dec Officials with the BCSO said they have exhausted all efforts with divers and sonar technology and will now shift their focus to a continuous limited search which involves surface search methods such as aircraft To report errors or issues with this article please email the editorial team.