Wesley “Wes” Cornett, left, and his brother, Andruw “Dru” Cornett were on a family salmon fishing trip at the Columbia River in August 2024.    Photo courtesy of Dawn Coultrap 

 

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - On Dec. 14, 2024, tragedy struck the Clark/Combs family when their two teen sons were involved in a Thermalito Afterbay hunting accident.

The incident grabbed the public’s attention and an extensive search effort ensued.

Multiple factors impeded the search and what was hoped to be a live-find rescue turned into a grueling 23-day recovery operation.

Meanwhile, mother April Clark; stepfather Henry Combs; and their other three children suffered through the holiday season, with the parents refusing to leave the banks of the Thermalito Afterbay until their two boys were recovered.

Day of the Incident

Brothers Andruw “Dru” Cornett, 19, and Wesley “Wes” Cornett, 17, of Olivehurst left home early Dec. 14 for a round of early morning duck hunting on the Thermalito Afterbay, which they had frequented many times. The brothers put in for spots at Gray Lodge and Delevan Wildlife Refuges but pulled bad numbers and opted for the waters outside of Oroville.

According to family members, the boys were accomplished kayakers and they used their kayak to set out their duck decoys that day.

But a heavy storm that wasn’t forecasted until later that afternoon set in on the brothers. Extreme sustained winds upwards of 50 MPH whipped the water into 4-6’ swells and heavy rain created dangerous conditions as the boys attempted to wrap up their hunt.

The waters turned treacherous and the brothers were in trouble.

At 8:33 that morning, Dru called 911, alerting first responders that his brother’s kayak overturned and they needed immediate help. Dru reported that Wes was seen in the water swimming north but neither boy had life jackets. Despite warnings from Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) dispatchers, Dru went in the water after his brother.

According to a BCSO report on the recovery efforts, Butte County Search and Rescue was immediately activated at a “Code 3” (emergency response) status, with BCSO officers and CAL FIRE also responding Code 3.

A BCSO deputy was on scene first, with CAL FIRE’s Water Rescue team on scene just minutes after at 8:55 a.m. BCSO Marine Unit, along with Search and Rescue, joined the initial search.

The kayak, a paddle and a pair of waders were recovered but the boys were not located that Saturday. The discovery of their personal items led searchers to believe they were indeed still lost on the water and had not left the location, as some speculated.

Despite the worsening weather conditions, hope was on a “live find” and BCSO reported the highest probability areas of finding the boys to search first.

North State Diving divers from Oroville enter the Thermalito Afterbay waters on Dec. 18, 2024 to locate the Cornett brothers. Photo courtesy of Will Sheffield

The Search Continues

Due to the extreme wind and weather conditions, aerial searches by helicopter and drone were not possible during the recovery’s first portion.

Swells 6” and over made it difficult for the hull-mounted sonar scanners to collect live mapping during the search’s continued water rescue component. As the weather shifted, searchers continued to encounter additional environmental issues.

BCSO stated that vegetation overgrowth in the waters that grew to 10’ tall hindered the sonar searches, being impenetrable by the equipment. Not only did vegetation create a visibility issue for divers but it also presented an entanglement risk.

Divers disturbed silt during their search, clouding fridged waters. They were forced to limit dive times and take precautions to guard against hypothermia, since water temperatures often ran 45 degrees or below. Cold temperatures were also believed to be a factor in why the brothers weren’t immediately found.

Other resources called in to help in the extended search included multiple types of mounted and drag sonar, high resolution cameras fixed to poles and a remote-operated vehicle, divers and ground search.

The organized search effort employed a grid formation to comb the waters with BCSO reporting that each search area during their eight-day search effort received a minimum of six sonar passes. Volunteers adopted the same method in their water searches.

On Monday, Dec.16, the boys’ parents requested the help of certified divers via video on social media to augment the local and neighboring county resources currently carrying out the search by authorities.

Multiple first responders from Butte, Nevada, Placer, Yuba, San Joaquin, Shasta, Alameda, El Dorado, Napa, Placer, Tehama and Stanislaus counties joined the search for the brothers, including the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Water Resources, the California Rescue Dog Association and WOOF Search Dogs.

Big Valley Divers from Chico were among the several volunteer divers who participated in the joint search effort. Photo courtesy of Will Sheffield

Behind the Scenes of the Volunteer Effort

As news of the incident spread on social media, more volunteers wanted to help.

Juan Heredia of Angels Dive Team arrived on day two of the search and was later joined by Nick Rinn of Oregon Rescue Divers, Big Valley Divers and North State Divers. Other volunteer divers included family friend Chris Green Sr. and Chris Green Jr., divers Patrick and Tiffany Pipkin, Donal Morganson, Jeff Wyatt and Chris Murra.

While the divers searched below, volunteer boat operators Kenny Pishek, Lee Day, Pete Moor and Reese Lolmaugh kept their boats running and the search on course. Licensed drone operator Dean Dyrr added another eye-in-the-sky in the aerial search.

Rinn said that the time of year played a large role in the private volunteer turnout: “Happening right before Christmas with a family of young kids that have siblings, and now you’ve got a mother and a father that are experiencing unimaginable discomfort, frustration, sadness, everything you could possibly imagine; I just felt that.”

Family members and some volunteers camped on the banks during what became a 23-day long search continued by private searchers and limited BCSO support. April and Henry did not leave the volunteer camp located to the north of Monument Hill, except for a few hours Christmas evening to spend with their other children.

Terrible weather patterns continued to batter the north state with winds and rains creating muddy and miserable conditions for volunteers and campers.

Good Samaritans donated new popups and tarps to shelter those working along the banks during the rains at what became known as “the volunteer search area.” Many donated anonymously and their assistance helped pay for oxygen to replenish the divers’ tanks. A warming station was also organized by community members so that searchers and divers could get out of the weather.

Those who weren’t diving or on boats, such as Rinn, helped refill oxygen tanks to support the diving efforts in any way possible.

The community rallied behind the family, raising funds, while residents and businesses provided meat for camp or catering for searchers.

Numerous individuals walked the banks and levees, and others brought their boats out to help with the water searches.

“The more people they had showing up to show their support to help, whether we found them or not, it was giving them (family) some sort of hope that people are still looking,” said Rinn.

Day added, “It hit real close to home for a lot of people and being so local, everybody just felt like they had to do something.”

Henry and others at the volunteer camp encountered those who had delayed their Christmas Day celebrations to walk the levees and look for the brothers as the search continued through the holidays.

Oregon Rescue Divers’ Nick Rinn and Chris Murra on Dec. 19, 2024 search the Thermalito Afterbay for the brothers. Photo courtesy of Will Sheffield

Closure

After 17 days of dedicated searching, Andruw’s body was recovered at 9:40 a.m. Dec. 31, 2024, near where the brothers were last seen.

His younger brother remained missing until Sunday, Jan. 5, when BCSO was alerted that a volunteer walking along the Thermalito Afterbay’s west bank, south of the State Route 162 bridge (Monument Hill Bridge) had spotted something in the water.

There was a perceived sense of urgency to retrieve Wesley, because of his location’s high visibility. Day and Heredia quickly located and recovered Wesley in Day’s boat. Both divers expressed that they wished to respect the family and keep Wesley from public view until BCSO could officially take over the teen’s recovery and identification.

With Wesley returned, the Clark/Combs family could begin the difficult job of grieving and healing.

Church services were held for the Cornett brothers Feb. 15 with an invite-only ceremony held after in honor and remembrance of their young lives.

Heredia, who dedicates himself to helping families such as the Clark/Combs find loved ones lost in water-related accidents, performed an astounding 57 dives during the search for the Cornett brothers. He was joined by his wife, Mercedes, as he was honored for his efforts by the Yuba County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28.

Referring to the search for the Cornett brothers, Heredia and Mercedes said, “The community of Oroville and surrounding cities should be proud to live there, as we have witnessed one of the most powerful united communities come together when in need, in all of our searches we have done.”

Heredia, Day and Rinn agreed that the BCSO search efforts were well rolled out and resources were deployed longer than they had experienced in other recovery efforts but the search had some difficulties and they offered suggestions.

Day suggested that “Fish and Game commissions should implement annual training of the importance of wearing a life jacket and implement it like seatbelts to ‘Save Lives.’”

Rinn suggested BCSO Marine Units have additional dive training in that area for continued experienced familiarity in those heavily vegetative, difficult conditions such as the Afterbay waters.

Volunteer divers shared the opinion that the massive outpouring of community support and volunteerism that they witnessed was highly impressive and reflective of a caring community.

Many of the divers agreed that social media and the constant updates motivated more volunteers to join the search but Day added a cautionary statement due to some of the issues that the Clark/Combs family experienced with misinformation and images spreading online.

“My thoughts on this tragedy, and all other tragedies that have happened (is) for the public and community to never film and share anything like this ever again. Videos were posted online before the parents were even notified,” Day said.

Volunteer diver Juan Heredia, volunteer diver Camila Heredia, boat operator Kenny Pishek, stepfather Henry Combs and boat operator Lee Day prepared to go out for another search. Photo courtesy of Will Sheffield

Thanks to the Volunteers

Special thanks to all the volunteers and divers who assisted in the search, multiple law enforcement and support agencies, and many local businesses that donated to the cause, including but not limited to: Teri Dubois; Scott Fennel; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain; FoodMaxx, Oroville and Linda; Bigfoot Eats and Market, Clipper Mills; Wagon Wheel Market, Oroville; New Earth Market, Yuba City; Rolling Stone Pizza, Yuba City; El Rey Mexican Restaurant, Marysville; Casa Lupe Market, Gridley; Rail House Pub & Grill, Gridley; Marcello's, Yuba City; Popeyes, Oroville; Cool Hand Lukes, Yuba City; Silver Dollar Saloon, Marysville; Cesar Espinosa, Yuba City; and Feather Falls Casino, Oroville.