Two canoeists found dead in Tomales Bay, California

Two canoeists were found dead following a late-night excursion in Tomales Bay, a remote area along California’s Point Reyes coast. The victims, including 36-year-old San Francisco resident Casey Flynn Melia, departed their campsite shortly before midnight on Saturday and failed to return to their camping party the following morning.

A multi-agency search-and-rescue operation was launched after friends alerted authorities. The US Coast Guard located the first victim unresponsive in the water; the individual was transported to Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, where they were pronounced dead. Shortly after, National Park Service personnel recovered Melia’s body near Hog Island, and he was pronounced dead at Sacramento Landing.

Authorities have not yet determined how the two men ended up in the water or what occurred during the overnight trip. The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner Bureau is investigating the first death, while the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, the Coast Guard, and the National Park Service are conducting a joint investigation. Post-mortem examinations and toxicology testing for Melia are expected later this week, though official causes and manners of death remain pending.