RCMP confirms 2 bodies found in U.S. are missing B.C. kayakers

Mounties on Vancouver Island have confirmed that two bodies recovered by United States authorities earlier this week are those of a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia.

Mounties on Vancouver Island have confirmed that two bodies recovered by United States authorities earlier this week are those of a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia.

Daniel MacAlpine, 36, and Nicholas West, 26, were reported missing after attempting to paddle from one of B.C.'s southern Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island on Saturday afternoon.

Their two-person kayak was found Sunday on the shoreline of Washington state's Henry Island, approximately six kilometres from their likely departure point on D'Arcy Island.

One of their bodies was found Monday afternoon on the southwest side of Washington state's San Juan Island.

The other body was recovered by San Juan County sheriff's deputies early Tuesday morning in the waters between San Juan Island and Lopez Island.

The remains were handed over to the San Juan County coroner's office, which confirmed their identifies as the missing kayakers.

A statement from the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP thanked the agencies involved in the cross-border search and recovery efforts. "Our thoughts are with the families at this time," Staff-Sgt. Wayne Conley said.