2 kayakers drowned at Lake Pleasant, Maricopa County Sheriff says

PEORIA, Ariz. - The bodies of two men who drowned while kayaking at Lake Pleasant have been recovered, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says.

On March 5 at 7:45 p.m., MCSO says witnesses dialed 911 after hearing swimmers yelling and calling for help near the Roadrunner Campground.

"Witnesses could not see the distressed swimmers but heard yelling and calls for help coming from the water," MCSO said. 

Deputies and Peoria firefighters responded and found an inflatable capsized kayak, but no one was near it.

After conducting a search of the area, two different shoes were found floating in the water.

The search was suspended until Monday morning, when detectives interviewed more witnesses and determined there were possibly two people who may have drowned.

Map of the Lake Pleasant area:

On Monday night, the body of one of the missing kayakers was found 55 feet underwater near Roadrunner Island. The victim was identified as 28-year-old Christopher Govoni.

Shortly after, the body of the second kayaker was found 100 feet from Govoni. That victim was identified as 24-year-old Rogelio Ortiz.

Neither man was wearing a life vest, and no vests were found during the search for the kayakers.

Detectives believe the men tried to swim to shore after their kayak capsized. They were 600 feet away from shore when they went underwater.