Two kayakers found dead off Southampton after Shinnecock Bay search

The search in Shinnecock Bay ended in tragedy for two Suffolk County men after crews found Daniel Villa, 25, of Southampton, and Juan Carlos Penaranda, 43, of Quogue dead in the water off Southampton. Their bodies were recovered early Wednesday morning, about a day after they were reported overdue while kayaking.

Family members called Southampton Town Police at 1:29 a.m. Wednesday to report the men missing. Authorities said Villa and Penaranda had gone out in a double kayak near the Old South Ponquogue pier around 8 p.m. Tuesday, then failed to return. During the search, crews also found kayaks and paddles washed ashore, a sign that quickly shifted the operation from a rescue effort to a recovery.

The search took place around Shinnecock Bay near Hampton Bays and Southampton, where Southampton Town Police marine patrol units and New York State Police joined the response. Officials said the bodies were recovered by crews near Hampton Bays early Wednesday morning. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office is now conducting autopsies to determine the causes of death, and Southampton Town Police said the case remains under investigation.

The deaths also renewed a warning that reaches beyond this one case. Local officials said cold water can be dangerous even for skilled swimmers and seasoned members of the maritime community, a reminder that spring conditions on Long Island can turn hazardous fast. Boaters and paddlers were urged to carry the proper number of life vests and the right safety equipment before heading out.

For Suffolk County boaters, the unanswered questions are the ones that matter most: what the men encountered in Shinnecock Bay, how quickly conditions changed, and whether the right safety gear was on board. Those answers may not come until the autopsies are complete and the investigation sorts through the final minutes of the trip that began near the Old South Ponquogue pier and ended with two men found dead in the water.