DUNKIRK, N.Y. — The body of a Lorain County man missing since his kayak capsized in Lake Erie in November has been discovered in western New York.
According to the Chautaqua County Sheriff's Office, the body of Evan Zeller was discovered on Thursday near the shore of Lake Erie at Canadaway Creek in Dunkirk, NY. Zeller's identity was confirmed on Friday after coordination between Chautauqua County Sheriff's deputies, the Erie (NY) County Medical Examiner's Office, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"We've found you," Zeller's wife Sandra posted on Facebook on Friday. "We're bringing you home."
On November 5, Zeller was kayaking with his wife and a friend in the waters of Lake Erie off of Sheffield Lake. His kayak took on water and capsized. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officials told 3News that they believed that Zeller lost an oar.
The search for Zeller involved several Coast Guard stations, including a helicopter crew from the USCG's AIRSTA base in Detroit, as well as personnel from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. One day after the incident, the ODNR began treating their search as a recovery mission.
On December 10, Zeller's family confirmed that his kayak was found near Fort Erie, Ontario in Canada.
Editor's Note: 3News' Chris Beeble and Anna Meyer contributed to this story. The below video is from previous reporting.