Crews recover bodies of missing kayakers, who lived in Chicago area, off Wisconsin island

WASHINGTON ISLAND, Wis. (WLS) -- Crews recovered the bodies of two missing kayakers, who lived in the Chicago area, from Lake Michigan near Wisconsin's Washington Island on Monday, police said.

The Washington Island Police Department and the Door County Sheriff's Office said officials responded to the area of Wickman Drive around 6:45 p.m. Saturday for a report of two people who went out on a kayak without life jackets and did not return.

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After an initial water search and drone operation, local crews suspended their efforts around 10 p.m. Saturday due to lack of light.

Ground and drone searched continued until 2:30 a.m. and resumed at 7 a.m. Sunday.

The U.S. Coast Guard continued its search until 10:45 a.m. Sunday. That's when local police and fire crews switched their search to a recovery operation.

Crews found the bodies of 20-year-old Dundee man David Thalman and 20-year-old South Elgin woman Franceska Warick in the water around 11 a.m. Monday.

What led up to the kayakers' disappearance was not immediately clear.

The Door County Sheriff's Office is investigating. Authorities did not immediately provide further information.