Authorities in Northern California are continuing their search for two teenage brothers who vanished during a duck-hunting trip over a week ago. The heartbreaking story centers on Andruw Cornett, 19, and his younger brother Wesley Cornett, 17, who went missing while out on the water at Thermalito Afterbay, a reservoir connected to Lake Oroville, about 70 miles north of Sacramento.
The brothers were out hunting for ducks on the morning of December 14 when tragedy struck. Around 8:30 a.m., Andruw made a call to authorities, explaining that Wesley’s kayak had overturned. Wesley was seen swimming north of the capsized kayak, and Andruw, without hesitation, went in to try to save him. Neither of the boys was wearing a life jacket. That was the last time anyone heard from them.
Since then, search teams from multiple agencies have been scouring the area on land and in the water. Over the days-long search, some of the boys’ clothing and personal belongings were found. Despite these efforts, there’s been no sign of the brothers themselves.
On Monday, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office shared an update on the search, stating that they had used divers and sonar technology but had to shift focus to what they called a “continuous limited search.” This next phase will involve surface search methods, including the use of aircraft, drones, boats, K9 teams, and on-land vehicles.
For their family, the situation is almost too painful to process. April Clark, the boys’ mother, described it as a “freak accident” in an online fundraiser. In her post, she wrote about how her family is struggling to come to terms with the loss while still holding on to hope. She called Andruw a hero for trying to save his younger brother.
“I drive 45 miles out every day to search for my boys,” Clark wrote. “Some of our family even stays out there all night, hoping to find them.” She also shared the difficult news that authorities had now classified the search as a recovery mission, meaning the focus is on finding the boys’ bodies.
“This is hard for me to write,” she admitted. “I’m beyond broken into so many pieces. If you can, please find it in your heart to donate and help our family find and lay my two handsome young boys to rest. Any amount of support will mean the world to us.”
Clark also expressed deep gratitude for the prayers and support the family has received. “We couldn’t have made it this far without all the love we’ve gotten,” she said.
The Cornett brothers’ story is a sobering reminder of the dangers of the water and the importance of safety precautions like life jackets. As their family continues to search, the entire community is rallying around them, offering prayers, donations, and whatever help they can provide.
