Dive team finds missing 15-year-old’s body 3 days after falling out of canoe

SAND POINT, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - A teenager has been found dead in a lake just days after the canoe he was in tipped over.

Officials said a dive team found 15-year-old Kaipo Kaminanga dead on Thursday in Red Cove Lake.

Kaminanga was last seen canoeing with three other friends on Monday when the boat tipped over. A search and rescue operation ensued shortly after in the frigid conditions, but there was no sign of the teen.

According to the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team, they were able to “locate and recover” Kaminanga on Thursday evening.

“We are glad we could bring closure to his family, friends and community,” the team shared in a social media post.

Kaminanga was a high school freshman. Austin Roof, a teacher with the Aleutians East Borough School District, said the teen was a popular student who excelled at basketball.

“It didn’t matter what your friend group was; he was kind to you,” he said. “He’s just a really special child.”

Roof has also created a GoFundMe to help support the Kaminanga family.