The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office announced today that two bodies discovered in the Seneca River are those of the kayakers who went missing at the dam in the village of Baldwinsville on Saturday morning.
The bodies of Robert Mead, 27, of Syracuse and his brother, Joseph Mead, 25, of Liverpool, were found floating in the Seneca River on Tuesday about two miles downstream from where they capsized Saturday.
Around 9:35 a.m. today, a resident called 911 upon seeing a body floating in the Seneca River near the 3300 block of Hayes Road in the town of Lysander. Sheriff’s deputies, the Baldwinsville Fire Department and the Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps responded.
At 2:25 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Unit discovered a second body near Klein Island, just downstream from where the first was found. The bodies were taken to the Onondaga County Medical Examiner for identification. While the two men are presumed to have drowned, an autopsy will be performed Wednesday to determine their exact cause of death.
The two brothers were fishing in kayaks around 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13, when they capsized near the dam. Numerous area fire and rescue companies gathered to search for the Meads.
“At this time the family of the two drowning victims have requested privacy during their time of grief,” OCSO Det. Jon Seeber said in a statement. “I would like to respectfully request that everyone honor these wishes as they have advised that they would not be interested in any interviews or contact from the media.”
