After two days of searching, authorities recovered the body of a missing 35-year-old man from about 70 feet below the surface of a New York lake after his kayak capsized.
In the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 17, around 1:30 a.m. local time, Bo Soo Choi, also known as John Choi, and a friend went out on Cayuga Lake in upstate New York, according to a news release from the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators later determined that the men were attempting a turn in the kayak when it flipped over. Neither was wearing a life jacket.
“One male was able to be rescued by bystanders,” officials said. “Choi was unsuccessful in his attempt to get to shore.”
By about 1:45 a.m., several 911 calls reported people in the water in distress.
When deputies and first responders arrived near Sheldrake Point in Ovid, a small town in the Finger Lakes region, multiple individuals were pulled safely from the lake. Officials quickly realized, however, that “one male was unaccounted for.”
A multi-agency search immediately began for Choi, a resident of Flushing, Queens.
Drones, boats and firefighters were involved in the operation throughout the day, with efforts paused at nightfall.
On Monday, Aug. 18, search crews resumed at 6:30 a.m. and ultimately located Choi’s body at 11:15 a.m. Authorities confirmed that his body was recovered from approximately 70 feet of water.
His death has been ruled an accidental drowning. The Seneca County Coroner’s Office says the investigation is ongoing.
In a press release, Seneca County Sheriff Timothy Thompson expressed gratitude to the 17 agencies that assisted in the search. He also emphasized the “importance of life preservers and having a safety plan in place” for anyone venturing out on the water.
