Teen Brothers Disappear During Duck Hunting Weekend Tragedy

(DailyVantage.com) – Two teenage brothers from Northern California have been missing for over a week after a duck hunting trip in stormy weather on December 14 turned tragic. Wesley Cornett, 17, and Andruw Cornett, 19, were last seen at the Thermalito Afterbay in Butte County, a large reservoir spanning 17 miles of shoreline and covering 4,300 surface acres.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office has been leading a massive search effort, involving 250 personnel from 21 different organizations. In a statement posted on Facebook, the sheriff’s office described the extensive and high-tech operation, which has focused on combing through weed-covered water and other difficult terrain. A video accompanying the statement detailed the challenges faced by search teams.

The search began immediately after reports emerged that one of the brothers’ kayaks had overturned and the other had jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him. “Thousands of acres have been searched by boat, by ground, and by raft,” said Trevor Skaggs, a member of the BCSO Search and Rescue team, in the video update. Jeff Eggleson of Big Valley Divers highlighted the difficulty of navigating dense underwater vegetation, which has slowed recovery efforts.

April Clark, the boys’ mother, has been vocal about the heartbreaking ordeal. She created a GoFundMe campaign titled “Help April Clark Find and Honor Her Sons” to support ongoing search efforts and fund potential funeral expenses. In the campaign description, Clark recounted the sequence of events as they were relayed to her. She explained that Wesley’s kayak overturned, prompting Andruw to call 911 before diving into the water to save his younger brother.

“My two handsome sons went hunting… Wesley, 17, went out on the kayak and overturned, and his brother Andruw, 19, saw him in distress, called 911, and stated there was no time to wait—he was going in to save his brother,” Clark wrote. “Neither one of my boys have been seen since Saturday. Andruw is a hero in my eyes.”

Clark also shared the emotional toll on her family, including her four daughters. She described the tragedy as a “freak accident” that has left her “beyond broken into so many pieces.” She expressed gratitude for any support offered to her family during this devastating time.

Authorities have transitioned the mission from a search-and-rescue operation to a recovery effort. The sheriff’s office and volunteers remain committed to locating the brothers as the community rallies around the grieving family.

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